Beginnings
by Sarcastic Tofu
Summary: We're S-class criminals, not a f-ing daycare!"...
1. Strange Developments

"What!?! You have to be fucking joking!"

"I don't joke Hidan."

The Jashinist glared at the spiky haired leader; there was absolutely no way he was going to watch a bunch of little kids! Never!

"We're S-rank criminals, not a fucking daycare!"

Hidan looked around the kitchen table seeing if the others had any sort of reaction to Pein's latest proposal.

Next to him, Kakuzu was busily calculating how this most recent scheme would affect Akatsuki's finances and swearing under his breath.

Deidara seamed to be generally listening; after all, Tobi was bad enough.

Sasori had stopped sketching out plans for his newest puppet and looked up, trying to imagine ten little children running around Akatsuki headquarters.

Tobi, beneath his mask, smiled. This was leader-sama's best idea yet!

Zetsu only seemed to half-paying attention. He was looking forward to typing a bit once this 'meeting' was over.

Itachi was looking out the window. _What is leader arranging to do with them?_

Kisame stared at Itachi. Would the anti-social Uchiha really massacre helpless children? _Without a doubt._

Konan was gazing at Pein. _What are you thinking, letting Hidan and the others within a mile of a bunch of kids? If they don't kill them first, they'll be scarred for life! _

Pein turned to leave the blue and white checkered kitchen.

"They will arrive tomorrow at noon."

Hidan let out a stream of colorful curses and lunged at him, but Kakuzu quickly yanked him back. Sewing Hidan's head back on wasn't on his agenda. Konan swiftly stood up and followed Pein out of the room.

"Sir, why are ten children being allowed to join Akatsuki?"

"Wait until tomorrow Konan and you will find out."

This was bound to be stimulating.

________________________________________

**The next chapter will be a series of documents on the kids. Hopefully, it'll be up by next Sunday.**


	2. A Lead

**{For further reference, this takes place pre-time jump. Also, I. Do Not. Own. Naruto. That is all. } **

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------**

It was around 9 o'clock when Konan tip-toed into Pein's office. As usual it was in 'organized chaos'. Papers were strewn about his desk and folders haphazardly piled in every available nook and cranny. She casually gazed at the disaster zone, when something caught her eye. A large manila folder was sitting open, the file's contents sitting as though it had been removed recently.

_Maybe this has to do with those kids coming tomorrow…_

She quickly looked backwards into the hall. Nope, no one was there.

So, she proceeded to read the file. As she looked over the first page, in large bold letters it stated.

**File #2387550-Akiyama, Indigo**

**Gender- male **

**Origin-Hidden Leaf Village**

**DOB- September 21st**

**Age- 9 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [assassination squad]**

**Jutsu- varying fire techniques **

On the right side of the page, a recent photograph was held in place via a paperclip. The person in the photo was had a childish face framed by dark hair and amber colored eyes; the child's left eye was covered by bandages.

_He's on the assassination squad at age nine? I hope he's not Itachi's clone or something…_

The next page was similar to the first, a block of text and another photograph. Except, this child was older than the first.

**File #4934543**- **Fukui, Kenjii**

**Gender- male**

**Origin- Hidden Cloud Village**

**DOB- December 18****th**

**Age- 10 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [Exploration & Resources Platoon]**

**Jutsu- manipulation of climate [ex. Seismic waves, tornadoes, etc.]**

The photo coordinating with the file contained a smiling boy with carrot colored hair. His russet eyes were bright and full of laughter.

Besides the youngster's bright hair tone, it reminded Konan of a younger Sasori.

_Who's next?_

**File# 2351776- Koizumi, Hana**

**Gender- female**

**Origin- Hidden Rain Village**

**DOB- June 22nd**

**Age- 7 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [ANBU Black Ops]**

**Jutsu- manipulation of light **

**-NOTE- Medical condition unstable, diagnosed with multiple illnesses and genetic disorders.**

A pale, fair-haired child with cobalt eyes beamed at Konan from her picture.

_What kind of 'disorders'?_ Konan puzzled this over before turning to the next page.

**File# 2351777- Koizumi, Akio**

**Gender- male**

**Origin- Hidden Rain Village**

**DOB- December 23****rd**

**Age- 8 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [ANBU Black Ops]**

**Jutsu- manipulation of shadow**

Unlike his in sister's portrait, Akio had gloomy dark eyes and yet even darker hair that partially covered his cheerless eyes; but he too was quite pale.

_So they're siblings and both in the ANBU._ Only five pages left.

**File# 7893741- Hyuga, Kalori**

**Gender- female**

**Origin- Hidden Leaf Village**

**DOB- August 27th**

**Age- 10 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [Advanced Tracking Platoon]**

**Jutsu- Taijutsu, Genjutsu, dimensional exploitation, & gentle fist techniques **

**-NOTE- Exhibits Hyuga bloodline traits, but is substantially vision impaired.**

The snapshotof the Hyuga seemed almost angry when Konan gazed at it. A raven-haired girl glared back at her with that pupil-less violet eyes. Her some what spiky long hair sheltered her like camouflage. On her left shoulder contentedly perched a red eyed raven.

_A Hyuga who can't see, now that's ironic. _On to page six.

**File# 3481036- Hikawa, Maralui (Mar-a-low) **

**Gender- female**

**Origin- Hidden Sand Village**

**DOB- October 31st**

**Age- 6 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [ANBU Captain]**

**Jutsu- Cellular torture and interrogation techniques **

Maralui's picture showed a small child with lengthy scarlet hair and cold misty blue eyes._ There's a six year old in the ANBU!?! _Konan was genuinely astonished, but there were still four more pages left…

**File#9872346- Kawaguchi, Yumiko**

**Gender- female**

**Origin- Hidden Mist Village**

**DOB- March 3rd**

**Age- 7 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [Medical Research]**

**Jutsu- Medical/Healing techniques, water manipulation**

The youth in the photo didn't seem to match her resume. Cerulean eyes which looked friendly, yet bored greeted Konan. Small hands twirled diluted azure hair and fingered the symbols etched into her ninja headband. She was obviously tired of something and wanted to leave.

**File#2348291- Hayashi, Taree**

**Gender- female**

**Origin- Hidden Grass Village**

**DOB- July 14****th**

**Age- 10 yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [Plant/Medical Research]**

**Jutsu- manipulation of vines and plant growth**

This person had ivy hair that reminded Konan of vines, her eyes were an odd shade of aqua blue. A white carnation seemed to naturally rest above her right ear, unpinned down as if, it was alive.

_Only two left._

**File#2347620- ****Wakahisa****, Taru**

**Gender- male**

**Origin- Hidden Stone Village**

**DOB- February 13****th**

**Age- 12yrs.**

**Rank- Jounin [assassination squad]**

**Jutsu- harmonics and sound wave manipulation**

_Just one left._

**File# 0982377- Luna**

**Gender- female**

**Origin- unknown, most likely the former Hidden Snow Village [no longer existant]**

**DOB- January 1st**

**Age- 7 yrs.**

**Rank- [former Jounin] -WARNING- Currently listed as S-rank missing nin, avoid combat if at all possible [See page 49 of the Bingo Book]**

**Jutsu-****Telekinesis, Empathic, master of psychological warfare, other abilities unknown.**

**-NOTE- Is believed to exhibit unique bloodline trait.**

Luna's picture was not like the others. Instead of a formal photo it was a blurred snapshot, as if taken hastilly at a distance. It showed a child standing on a snowy mountain; she was slightly turning from the camera and held some shuriken in her right hand. Her white cloak, pure white hair and pale completion blended in with the terrain around her, except for her eyes. They were blood red and held evidence of insomnia. Her emotions were impossible to read.

_Who are these kids…?_

"_What are you doing here Konan?"_

Konan froze. Slowly, she peeked out of the corner of her eye. A sigh of relief; it was just Zetsu.

"..Umm..Just picking up. You?"

"_Looking for Tobi, we haven't seen him in hours. _**He's probably off causing chaos or messing with the electrical system again**."

Konan shuttered. The last time Tobi 'played' with the fuse box, the entire river country lost power. It was by no means 'fun'.

"He may be with Deidara or Sasori…"

"_Checked."_

"…or fishing in Kisame's aquarium…"

"_Checked."_

"…or in the basement."

The room seemed to grow cold at this thought. In the basement was where the power tools were stored. The blow torch, the welder, everything Tobi was not allowed to touch; all in one convenient location.

"…"

"I'll help you look."

Quickly they turned to go. Zetsu paused.

"**Konan, why were you reading those files."**

She wasn't sure how to answer this. She flustered, trying to think of a good explanation, one that didn't involve her breaking into Pein's office.

"**Konan…"**

Instead of answering, she handed the manila folder to Zetsu. He skimmed through it, both halves looking perplexed.

"_It seems we'll need a stronger lock for the tool box. _**Indeed."**


	3. Minor Setbacks

**{Rated T for 'unique' language. I don't own Naruto, soooo on with the chapter!}**

"What's taking so long un?" whined Deidara.

"It's all Kisame's fault," Hidan complained, "that asshole sucks at directions."

It was already 2 hours and 47 minutes past noon and Kisame still wasn't back. Everyone had drawn straws and Kisame was the unfortunate soul who had to go fetch the children from a secret location in the sand village and convey them back to headquarters. Where was he?

----------------------------------------

"Are we there yet?"

"WE'LL GET THERE WHEN WE GET THERE!"

Kisame didn't mind most of the kids. But after being lost for more than two hours, he was really starting to hate the one with the orange hair. He hadn't stopped talking since they'd left the sand village.

_Will that Kenjii kid EVER shut up!?!_

"'Ey, Kisame-san."

"WHAT!"

"I think we've seen that cactus before."

"NO SHIT SKERLOCK!"

Kenjii turned to the white haired girl standing near him.

"Luna could you show us which way to headquarter please?"

"Indubitably."

She seemed to look off across the vast desert and abruptly pointed over some sand dunes.

"Approximately 6437.376 meters slightly to the Southeast; the quadrant is based in close proximity to a river bed but is inside of a mountain."

Kisame was stood stunned. _She figured that out in less than twenty seconds…_

The ten youngsters turned to depart. Kenjii spoke.

"So are you coming or what 'ey?"

Kisame sighed,"yeah, let's go. We're all ready really late."

-----------------------------------------

_Twenty minutes later…_

"WHAT TOOK YOU SO FUCKING LONG!"

"YOU TRY SPENDING THREE HOURS IN THE DESERT WITH NO PRIVISIONS AND A HYPERACTIVE TEN YEAR OLD!"

Kisame then proceed to belt over the head Hidan with Samehada, while Tobi feudally tried to restrain him.

"_Are they always this crazy",_ Yumiko whispered to Deidara.

"_They're much worse when they've had coffee un." _

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**{'Ey Kenjii has a speach impediment. ^^}**


	4. Beginners' Blaspheme

**{Sorry this chapter took a little longer than expected}**

**-------------------------------------**

"Akatsuki. Kids. Kids. Akatsuki."

"Kisame, your introductions suck un."

Kisame groaned. Why did he have to pull the short straw?

"FINE!"

He jabbed a blue finger at the child nearest to him.

"THIS IS KENJII! HE WOULDN'T SHUT UP THE WHOLE WAY HERE!

He pointed to the dark haired little boy next to Kenjii.

"THIS IS INDIGO, HE'S A PYROMANIAC!"

He waved his hand in the general direction of the three youngest.

"HERE'S MARALUI, YUMIKO, AND LUNA. YUKIMO'S A MEDIC, MARALUI'S JUST PLAIN CREEPY, AND LUNA'S A FRICKIN' GENIOUS!"

Maralui glared at Kisame. He twitched, took a deep breath, then proceeded with the horrible greeting.

"That's Akio and Hana. Akio is the one with black hair and Hana is the smaller one with light hair. They're siblings. Next to them are Kalori and Taru. Taru is the one with the guitar and Kalori has that bird on her shoulder."

"Raven."

"Right, raven. And the last one is Taree--"

In a few strides, Hidan was in front of Taree. He tauntingly waved a hand over her head. He smiled.

"Where'd you find this one Kisame? She looks like one of Santa's little trolls."

Indigo sighed and shook his head.

"Now you've done it…"

Taree suddenly looked up at Hidan (For being only ten years old, she was still especially short). Her aqua eyes were blazing and her carnation had turned a deep shade of crimson.

"WELL, JACKASS I DON'T THINK MY HEIGHT IS ANY OF YOUR DAMN BUISNESS SO JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Akio clapped his hands over Hana's ears. Kenjii shivered. Indigo muttered;

"You had to go there…"

Deidara gawked. He was used to Hidan's 'unique' vocabulary, but this kid had one seriously appalling swearing problem. Hidan seemed to stare for a moment. He'd never been cussed out by a ten year old before.

"Well then I'll make it my business bitch."

She smiled evilly. "You're going to wish you hadn't said that asshole."

Suddenly thorned vines shot out from under her sleeves. Before Hidan had a chance to move, he was caught like a rat in a trap. Hidan struggled, but the vines just squeezed him even harder. Hidan looked up.

"Your little weeds aren't going to suffocate me bitch; I'm immortal."

Taree kept smiling.

"Who said anything about suffocating?"

Suddenly Hidan went limp.

"What the hell--"

"What'd you think the thorns are for..."

The vines receded; however, Hidan remained motionless on the floor. That's Konan stepped in.

"Umm…Deidara why don't you give the latest members a tour of the hideout. NOW."

Deidara got the hint.

"Come on un, before Hidan starts cussing up a hurricane."

And before anyone could argue otherwise, Deidara had dragged them into the kitchen.


	5. An Expedition

**{This chapter is kind of long. Deidara doesn't know what he's getting into :) }**

----------------------------

As Deidara slammed the kitchen door shut behind the little tour group, and breathed a sigh of relief. _Thank you Konan un for getting me out of there! _He turned around and gazed over the group. _Why did leader-sama accept a bunch of little kids un?_

He waved his left hand with a flourish, "This is the kitchen un! To your right is the cheap table with not enough chairs and to your left are the stove, microwave, fridge and other necessary stuff un."

Yumiko raised an arm as if she was still at the academy. "What are those hooks and the chart for near the fridge Deidara-sensei?"

Deidara prodded at one of the boxes on the chart. It read: 'Monday- Sasori' in navy blue sharpie. "This is the cooking chart, on a certain day every week or so each person gets a turn having cooking duty un," the blond terrorist grinned, "That way, we don't have to eat Kakuzu's cruddy Chinese take-out everyday."

Yumiko and Indigo sniggered. "Amen to that!"

"Oh!" gasped Deidara, "I'd better add you guys to the chart while we're here un!" He began rummaging through one of the cabinets, scrounging for the one of Tobi's hundreds sharpies that seemed to always be around somewhere.

"Un! Found it! Now, how do you spell your names?"

Taree spoke, "Or we could write out our names ourselves so you don't screw up the spellings?"

Deidara thought this over, and subsequently handed over the lime green sharpie. He waited patiently, or as patiently as he could, while they signed their names.

"Done, yet un?"

The redheaded boy, who was last, muttered, "Nearly…'kay now I'm done 'ey."

"We're skipping the dining room and basement so..............ONWARD TO THE LIVING ROOM UN!"

--------------------------

"This is where we have movie night and hang out un."

The cluster of kids gazed around the room; there were two toffee colored sofas, Hidan's crimson bean bag, and a black recliner positioned near a rod iron lamp for reading. On the floor was a striped rug to cover the many chips and cracks in the wood floor. The walls were crammed full of photographs of Akatsuki's travels. Deidara's favorite had a faded burgundy frame and showed he, Sasori and Tobi in front of the Sand village capital building (more specifically, **after** Tobi had sloppily painted the Kazekage's building with acrylic paint).

"Who's that?" inquired Hana as she pointed at a picture. It had a shiny black frame and a simple black and white photo of someone standing in dense forest.

Deidara frowned. "That's Orochimaru-teme."

The group went silent.

---------------------

"Up these stairs are our bedrooms un." The eleven sauntered up the creaky wooden stairs to second floor, feeling slightly uneasy; maybe Hidan was lurking around somewhere, waiting for revenge. Deidara strolled up to the first of the four doors that lined this side of the hallway.

"Everyone has to share a room with their partner un. To prevent members from swapping rooms, leader-sama even got these name plates on the doors."

He slowly began to inch the door open.

"Should we be doing that Deidara-san?" whispered Indigo.

"Don't worry un. This is me and Sasori's room; I was just going to get a flash light. After all un, we still have to go to the third floor." He suddenly clutched his forehead. "Damn. I almost forgot to show you where the bathroom is."

He gestured toward the last door on the other side of the hall. It's the only bathroom in the whole hideout so don't forget where it is un. "

He then stepped into the cluttered room and began rummaging for that flashlight he lost last Thursday.

"'Ey Can we help Deidara-san?"

"'Kay un, but be careful what you pick up. There's some C4 clay around here somewhere; it'll blast you into the next century."

Immediately, the crowd began the extensive search for the flashlight.

"COOL! I FOUND HOTWIRING ELECTRONICS FOR DUMMIES!" yelled Kenjii.

Kalori yanked it out of his tight grasp. Her voice was cold and emotionless "You are psychotic enough, do not tempt fate."

"LOOK!" Indigo raised a neon red firecracker.

"They burn very nicely."

"Hand it over Pyro." Indigo glared as he chucked the firecracker to Akio.

"Killjoy."

In the course of the next half hour, they found: a 'Jaws' alarm clock, a charred brick, a box full of old cheesy Christmas cards, a receipt from Ichiraku Ramen, a scorched headless Easter bunny, three train-conductor-style lanterns and a mountain of things the eleven couldn't begin to describe.

Deidara sighed. "I guess the lanterns will have to do un."

So they tiptoed out of the disaster zone of a room and headed single-file toward the dusty, spider web covered stair case at the end of the corridor. As they ascended the squeaky staircase Deidara felt more and more edgy. No one had gone up to the third floor in more than ten years, who knew what was up there? When they came to the top step, he handed his lantern to Maralui and began to fiddle with the rusty lock that had held the trapdoor fastened for a decade. He swore as he tried to jiggle it open and pondering whether or not to blow it up.

"I'll release it" whispered Luna in a blank emotionless voice, as she stepped around Deidara toward the padlock. Deidara quickly moved aside. The small pale child placed a hand directly over the lock. It made a series of odd clicking noises as it unlocked itself then fell to the floor.

"Thanks un." Deidara spoke quietly. The red eyed child just nodded. Deidara began to gradually lift the trapdoor open and peeked out onto the third level. It was pitch black he could only see about a meter ahead of him. He sat the lantern Maralui had been holding on the dust covered floor before he climbed up through the opening. As the others followed they watched the sinister shadows seem to move away from them as if fearing the candle light. Deidara looked down the endless corridor and spoke gravely.

"Your rooms are up here."

Yumiko shook and grasped Deidara's free hand.

Indigo spoke more cheerily "So whose sharing rooms?"

"Me 'n Kalori call the room closest to the here!"

"No Indigo and I call it 'ey!"

Taru spoke up "Let Deidara-san decide."

So Deidara picked at random.

"Maralui and Taree, Indigo and Kenjii, Luna and Hana, Kalori and Yumiko…umm… and Taru and Akio."

Among the shouts of delight and groans of frustration, Yumiko couldn't help still feeling frightened.

As she squeezed Deidara's hand he spoke more seriously, "Before you guys go pick out your rooms I need to notify of one rule you should to remember." Kenjii let out a loud groan. "SHUT UP KENJII! Anyway, never go above the third floor, if you want to live."

Yumiko whimpered, "Why Deidara-sensei?"

Deidara whispered gravely, "You don't want to know."

-Meanwhile-

"I swear I'm going to fucking cascade that kid--"

"**Hidan silence."**

Konan spoke calmly, "So what's the damage?"

Sasori and Zetzu looked up, as the poison and plant experts it was their job to figure out how to heal Hidan.

"That was a variety of plant I haven't seen yet," a chuckle, "**It seems to be quite deadly though"**.

"The poison seems to be diluted,nonetheless, he should be incapacitated for at least another three hours ."

Hidan broke into a frenzy of cussing and death threats. Kakuzu formed a small grin beneath his mask. He had to thank that Taree kid later.


	6. Chaos & Cayenne Peppers

**{Hurray for Mid-Winter break and all of that wonderful free time! Too bad I'm stuck at home with a cold.}**

**-----------------------------------**

As the thunder of foot steps echoed through headquarters, Hidan wondered what on earth he was supposed to cook for dinner (It was his turn to have cooking duty). It had taken four hours for the poison to wear off, but he could finally move again.

_I could make some fucking nachos? Na takes too long and I always burn them. Lasagna?_

Hidan shuddered. After Tobi's lasagna disaster a few months ago, no one in Akatsuki could look at lasagna with out throwing up, calling a bomb squad, or just fainting.

That's when the idea struck him.

_Pizza! It'll drive Kakuzu off the wall and actually be edible!_ _But how to get revenge on that plant weirdo. _An evil grin crossed his face. Taree would be dead as a door nail, more or less.

-Meanwhile-

"Are you sure it's safe down there Deidara-sensei?"

The group was now back in the living room, gazing down the eerie stairs to infinite blackness into the horror known to all as the basement.

"Yeah un! We keep all our extra junk down there; all of the ghosts are on the **fourth** floor.

Somehow Yumiko didn't feel much better.

"So who's going first?"

No one said anything.

"Well?"

After another minute or so of silence, Akio yanked one of the rusty lanterns from Kenjii, muttered something to himself and began to descend into the dark abyss.

"Wait nii-san!" shouted Hana as she disappeared after him. Soon a loud click was herd from the depths and some dangling light bulbs flickered on.

"Come on!" called Akio's annoyed echo.

Instantaneously, the deafening sound of the crowd clamoring down the squeaky staircase reverberated through headquarters. And within minutes the crashing of excavated furniture, knick-knacks and long forgotten treasures could be herd to from the next country over.

"What's this?!"

"A PIANO, SWEET!"

"Who knew they made table cloths this big?"

"I thought lamps weren't supposed to spark-"

"-They're not."

"Has anyone seen Indigo?"

Suddenly above all the chaos an earsplitting yell could be herd over the others; "AMESOME, A TOOL BOX!"

Deidara trembled. _Oh no un…_

----------------------

Hidan had been busily setting the table when the explosion shook the command center.

_What did that fucking did Tobi do this time?_

Within minutes the other Akatsuki members had gathered at the basement stairs.

"What was that…"

"I don't know Kakuzu, probably Tobi off reeking havoc."

"But Tobi is right behind you Konan-Chan!"

The group went silent, and then scrabbled down the stairs like lightning.

Hidan was the first to notice.

"What the hell did they do to the fucking basement, it looks like a warzone! And where's Deidara, isn't he supposed to be watching the little monsters?!"

Just then Deidara came out from behind a mountain of old telephone books, panting and gasping for breath, soon followed by his little tour group.

"Deidara, what is the meaning of this."

"Sorry leader-sama about the mess un, but we have a bigger problem."

"The current crisis being…"

"…Indigo found the tool box."

You could almost feel the calm before the storm.

"HE WHAT?!?"

"He found the tool box, busted the lock off, and is currently somewhere in HQ with the blow torch and loads more weapons of tool destruction!"

"AND YOU HAVE NO INDICATION TO HIS WHEREABOUTS?!?"

"No sir, un."

Pein struck his forehead in frustration.

"Zetsu, Tobi, Taree, Taru and Kenjii search the terrain surrounding the base. Kakuzu, Hidan, Hana and Akio investigate the subterranean passages. Kisame, Itachi, Kalori, and Maralui probe the second floor. Sasori, **Deidara**, Luna and Yumiko will search the third floor. Now scatter!"

Within minutes they were hectically scouring the entire base for Indigo and the tool box.

-------------------

Sasori scowled at Deidara.

"This is your error Brat."

"How was I supposed to know he'd burn through the lock un?!"

"You better hope we locate him before…"

Yumiko abruptly stopped and turned to Luna.

"Umm…Luna-senpai. Could you listen for Indigo-san?"

Sasori raised an eyebrow. _Senpai? And what does she mean listen for Indigo? It's dead silent!_

Luna closed her blood red eyes in concentration, and then opened them once more.

Her voice was an emotionless monotone "He is at the end of the hallway which slants off from this one."

She and Yumiko quickly hurried on ahead while Deidara and Sasori lingered behind.

"How did she achieve that?"

"There's something odd about that kid un."

---------------------------

"Indigo-san what are you doing!?! You almost got Deidara-sensei in boat loads of trouble!"

"Yeah un!"

Indigo looked up from the door handle.

"I'm welding this door to the fourth floor shut, after all Deidara said we weren't supposed to go up there anyway."

"But why'd you need the tool box? You could've just used one of your fire Jutsu?!?

An evil grin crossed his face, "That would've been too easy."

Yumiko desperately tried to hold back her laughter while Deidara throttled Indigo with clay birds.

Sasori sighed. _This one might be substantially __**worse**__ than Tobi._

------------------------------

After a lecture from Pein and a few death threats from Deidara, Hana spoke up.

"So is it time to eat yet Hidan-sensei?"

Everyone looked up. In the chaos they'd almost forgotten about dinner.

Kakuzu shot a fierce glare Hidan. He had a tendency towards buying fast food that only Hidan could stomach or 'cooking' groceries that were **way** beyond their perishable dates.

"What did you do this time Hidan, fry an alarm clock?"

"NO! I got pizza!"

Tobi cheered. Kakuzu fainted. Hidan tried to contain a cackle.

Just then, the door bell rang.

"PIZZA UN!"

"Someone get the fucking door !"

The pizza guy didn't know what hit him.

-------------------------

"I think Tobi-san killed him."

"No I didn't! He's just fainted, right Deidara-senpai?"

Deidara chuckled.

"It's not funny Senpai!"

"You should've seen the look on that guy face un! He looked like Kisame when you made sushi."

Kisame whimpered. Deidara just _had_ to keep bringing that up.

Kenjii poked the pizza guy's forehead. "So is he alive or what 'ey?"

Yumiko sauntered closer to the poor guy who'd been propped against a wall and was now surrounded by hungry Akatsuki members.

She placed her head against his chest and listened for a heart beat.

"Yeah, he's alive. Just scared really badly, why'd you have to tackle him Tobi-san?"

"I'm sorry! The pizza just looked so good and-"

Abruptly, the pizza guy sat up, screamed, and then darted as fast as he could out the cavern entrance.

"Guess he didn't want a tip…"

---------------------------------

Plates where distributed and everyone crowded around the little white kitchen table. There was a shoving match over who got to sit on one of the ten chairs with the peeling red paint and who got to sit on the floor, but this was to beexpected. Once everyone had a slice or two of pizza there was a realization.

"Hey what the heck _is_ that stuff on the pizza Hidan?!"

Hidan let out in an all-too-cheery voice, "Peppers!"

Seeming to be reassured by this, everyone took a bite.

"-Flaming hot Cayenne chili peppers!"

Faces of alarm and horror instantly shot around the table as everyone realized what Hidan had said.

"WATER!"

"MY TASTE BUDS!"

"HIDAN YOUR DEAD UN!"

"FORGET DEAD, LET'S CASCATE HIM!"

Indigo was the only one not complaining, "I don't know what you guys talking about, this tastes awesome!"

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**{Reviews encourage me to update sooner! *wink wink nudge nudge*}**


	7. Wake up Call

**{Once again, I don't own Naruto, SpongeBob, or blueberry pancakes. I do own my list of characters (the list is on my page). Now that is over…ONWARD TO Chapter 7!}**

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**-**The Next Morning**-**

Tobi stared at his SpongeBob alarm clock. The neon red numbers read **3:24 AM**. He trembled with excitement.

_It's morning!_

Slowly, he slid out of his warm bed, put his mask on, and then tip-toed out the door. Still in his black silk pajamas with small red clouds on them, he snuck past leader-sama's room, and crept down the stairs; carefully avoiding the creaky spots. He peered around the living room, no one in sight. Relieved, he snuck into the kitchen and began to rummage through the cabinets until he found them; a large frying pan and the old wooden spoon. These would work perfectly.

----------------------------

Now, back on the second floor, Tobi was ready. He raised the spoon and frying pan… and began to smash them together like a drum while he paraded down the hall.

The sound was defining.

"WAKE UP EVERYONE!"

He kicked open the door to Deidara and Sasori's room.

"WAKE UP SENPAI AND SASORI DANNA!"

"…go away un..." grumbled Deidara, yawning.

"Tobi. Leave."

Tobi quickly jumped aside to avoid Deidara's pillow before he ran out the door into Kisame and Itachi's room.

"IT'S MORNING!"

"Hhmmf?"

"….."

But before Kisame could argue, Tobi was already in Kakuzu and Hidan's room.

"WA-"

"Can it Tobi, I heard you the first time."

"Are you grumpy Kakuzu-san?"

"Yes Tobi, so disappear. NOW."

Tobi scanned the room.

"Where's Hidan-san?"

"Probably hogging the bathroom."

Satisfied by this, Tobi left for the third floor.

_Gee it's creepy up here; oh well!_

After a stream of kids crashed into him, nearly knocking him over, he headed toward the only door still closed. He began to slam the spoon into the frying pan once more.

"GET UP TAREE-CHAN!"

"NO WAY, I'M SLEEPING!"

"Taree-chan it's time to wake up!"

"IN AN HOUR; I'M TIRED!"

"It's morning, Taree-chan!"

"NO IT'S NOT ITS LIKE 4 AM!"

"Taree-chan get out of bed!"

"GO AWAY, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, **LET ME SLEEP**!"

Taree then leapt out of bed, her carnation a dark crimson color, and yanked the frying pan out of his grasp, and proceeded to beat him over the head with it.

"OW! Taree-chan that's not nice!"

-Meanwhile-

A large horde had gathered outside the only bathroom in the whole Akatsuki base and their annoyed complaining pierced the early daybreak.

"Damn it! Hidan got to the bathroom first again?!"

"It's creepy how he does that **every. single. day.**"

Kakuzu started cussing up a storm and began banging on the bathroom door.

"Hidan hurry it up! You've already been in there for a damn hour and you're running up the water bill!"

"Fuck off!" came Hidan's muffled voice.

"Lousy son of a--", but before Kakuzu could finish that thought, the bathroom door flew open and smacked him right in the face.

Hidan walked out grinning like a Cheshire cat, followed by many angry glares.

"And the score is Hidan: 1 Kakuzu: 0!"

All of a sudden the realization of the bathroom being free hit the tired horde like a ton of wet cement; and the mad rush began once more. Sadly, for Kisame, who made managed to squeeze his way into the undersized bathroom, Hidan had used up all of the hot water. **Again**.

--------Meanwhile in the Kitchen----------

As Taree sleepily sauntered into the kitchen she saw many things. Sir leader looked amused as he read the newspaper (more specifically, the travel section) at the kitchen table while Indigo and Kenjii wrestled over the comics. Yumiko and Konan were rummaging through one of the cabinet drawers searching for the various vitamins or medication certain members were to take.

"Kakuzu's heart meds are the little green ones right?"

"Yeah", Konan skimmed over a mental list of prescriptions.

_Kakuzu's heart medicine: check, Itachi's multi vitamins: check, Zetsu's blood pressure tablets: check and Tobi's 'calm' pills: check. _

She looked up, "Do any of you guys take medication?"

Yumiko frowned, deep in thought, "Kalori takes something for her allergies, Hana takes a whole bunch of things for her lung and heart problems; and I think that's it, we should probably check with Akio though…"

Taree scrutinized the room further. Taru was occupying a seat near Kalori, and appeared to be deep in concentration scribbling something down on thick Manila paper then strumming a few chords on his guitar every few minutes to test the melody. Kalori was stroking her raven, Hiiro, and muttering something to herself. Akio and Hana were conversing with Hidan.

"Why the fuck do you guys keep calling me 'sensei'!?!"

"Because we look up to you Hidan-sensei!" said Hana cheerily.

Akio just nodded in agreement.

Hidan groaned.

That's when Taree noticed what Kakuzu was doing. He was alternately flipping and stirring something in a frying pan. She stepped closer to see what it was, but to no avail. The substance was black and had the texture of compacted coal, and smelled…well you don't want to know what it smelled like.

"What the hell **IS** that?"

Kakuzu glared at her, as if it wasn't already obvious, "scrambled eggs."

That's when Taree lost it.

She promptly wrenched the spatula from his tight grasp and with her free hand picked up the frying pan full of 'eggs'.

"STOP! You're wasting the eggs!"

But it was too late; all evidence of Kakuzu's cooking was now in the trash.

She glared daggers at Kakuzu and shouted loud enough for the whole base to hear; "**KAKUZU, YOU CAN'T COOK FOR CRAP!**"

The kitchen went dead silent, until Hidan whispered to Hana.

"Is she always this fucking psychotic?!"

Hana seemed to ponder this for a moment.

"Actually, she's usually worse…"

Taree took a few deep breaths and then asked more calmly, "I'm cooking blueberry pancakes, say any different and you'll answer to the frying pan."

The room was once again soundless except for the noise of pancakes sizzling on the stove-top; after all, blueberry pancakes beat Kakuzu's cooking any day.

-------------------------

As Deidara thumped down the stairs he could smelt something oddly delectable. He shook his head. _No way, it's Kakuzu's cooking day. The smoldering food fumes must be messing with my brain. _However, when he reached the kitchen, he stood stunned. For there at the worn white table sat the other terrorists and plates piled high with blueberry pancakes. Non-burned, non-hazardous, pancakes. _Is it April 1__st__ already?_

Before he could change his mind, Deidara slid into the chair next to Taree and pulled over a plate and fork. He then prodded the spongy food gently with his fork; testing to see if it was a spray-painted rock.

Until Taree evenly said, "Don't worry, I cooked them. That toxic crap Kakuzu cooked is in the garbage where it belongs."

Reassured by this, Deidara took a bite. They were amazing and actually edible! After a minute, he said, with his mouth still full of pancake, "So did Kakuzu die or what un?"

Hidan answered, "No, Taree told him off it was fucking sweet! Someone should've done it sooner!" then high-fived the ivy haired girl.

Kisame mumbled, "Her ranting was certainly loud enough though…"

Taree pretended not to hear this.

Itachi's voice was an emotionless monotone as he stated, "Is your disposition always this bizarre?"

The other children gasped, the unsociable Uchiha hadn't said a word since they had arrived.

Taree paused before answering.

"I'm busy pissing off the whole planet one person at a time."

Itachi nodded as if this was an obvious truth.

Abruptly, Luna and Maralui entered the kitchen.

Luna's cold impassive voice seemed to stand out amongst the early morning chatter.

"Has anyone seen Maralui's left arm?"

The babbling stopped as everyone gazed where her arm should have been. It was as though it had slowly dissolved into the air. Hidan was the first to speak.

"How the fuck do you loose an arm?!"

Maralui said in a hushed tone, "It's my kekkei-genkai. I can move molecules; more specifically cells, as well as speeding them up and slowing them down. But my limbs have a tendency to…umm…disappear into thin air."

There was yet another brief moment of deathly silence until Yumiko spoke up.

"Can we help you look Luna-sensei and Maralui-san?"

Luna let out the tiniest of smiles. "That would much appreciated Yumiko."

After the other Akatsuki members joined in the search, it took another 29 minutes before Maralui's arm was found under Tobi's bed. And after much microwaving of pancakes, breakfast resumed where it had left off.

"I told you Senpai that there was something under my bed!"

"Shut up baka!"

"Please pass the syrup Kalori!"

"Don't you think that sticky lake on your plate is enough Indigo."

"Okay, which one of you jackasses stole my fucking fork!?"

"It's right in front of you Hidan-sensei", whispered Akio.

"…um…I knew that."

"…waste of money…"

"Care to repeat that Kakuzu?"

"Yes. I said '**this is a waste of money**'!"

"You--"

Yumiko interrupted, "All in favor of blueberry pancakes to Kakuzu-san's eggs raise your hand!"

Everyone but Kakuzu raised a hand.

"Sorry Kakuzu-san, Taree-chan's pancakes win."

"So what's happening today?"

Pein spoke, his voice blank and cold, "We will be determining the strength of your jutsu so that we can effectively partner each of you with someone to cover your weaknesses."

The older Akatsuki members unanimously smacked their heads into the table. As if considering exactly how awful this was going to be...

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**{*Que dramatic music*}**


	8. Preliminary Testing Part1

**{Happy Birthday Meghan-san! Now here's Chapter 8! }**

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Kakuzu sighed as he squinted off into the distance. The Akatsuki base was just a speck on the horizon. He then grumbled to himself, _why do we always have to pick straws?_

As he turned around he could see Hana and Akio calmly following him; and a few yards away, Hidan and Taree **still** arguing. Indeed, why did they always draw straws?

"THIS IS ALL OF YOUR DAMNED FAULT!"

"HOW THE FUCK IS THIS MY FAULT!?!"

"YOU'RE THE ONE WHO DREW THE DAMN SHORTEST STRAW!"

"HOW IS THAT MY FUCKING FAULT!?!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME--"

Suddenly, a sharp whistle from Akio interrupted their cursing. They both glared daggers at the dark haired boy.

His voice was quiet and utterly gloomy, "It would seem that we are far enough away from the base to prevent any major damage."

The two foul-mouthed terrorists sulked. Although Kakuzu could have sworn he heard Taree mutter "…_fricken robot…"_

In the brief silence that followed, Kakuzu opened the off-white folder which Pein had handed to the five-some before departure. Within its interior lay a few short documents on the three children they'd been assigned to analyze and additional blank paper for notes. He quickly glanced at the first file: Koizumi, Hana.

He nodded toward the fair haired girl. "You're first."

She bobbed her head once then walked a small number of paces from the rest of the group.

He looked down at the folder.

"Jutsu specialty…"

"…Ninjutsu."

"Battle style…"

"…Long to short range", came Hana's reply.

"Chakra type…"

"…light."

Kakuzu raised an eyebrow, "light?"

"It's a combination of air and lightning."

The elder Akatsuki jotted this down onto a blank page.

After a moment came "What do you want me to do first Kakuzu?" she asked cheerfully.

Kakuzu paused from his quick jotting of notes. "You could try attacking Hidan; we'd only have to worry about stitching him back together afterwards."

Hidan scowled at Kakuzu. "You can't be serious."

"I'm completely serious."

In a flash Hidan had his crimson scythe at hand and was charging towards Hana.

The pale child swiftly formed a hand seal, "light style: firefly cover jutsu!" Seconds later she was surrounded by thousands of specks of light resembling fireflies at dusk.

As Hidan slashed at her with his scythe the fragments of light protected her like a shield.

She formed another hand sign, "light style: luminescent possession!" Immediately two large glowing hands seemed to appear out of nowhere and caught Hidan instantaneously.

"Hey ease off! I give! You're fucking squishing me!"

"Sorry Hidan-sensei!" Hana subsequently released the jutsu.

Hidan dropped to the ground then strode over to Hana who was hyperventilating badly.

"You okay?" he asked, to Kakuzu's surprise sounding genuinely concerned.

Hana gasped for air as she tried to speak, "Yeah, I just have really low stamina. Just need to catch my breath."

Akio kneeled next to her. "You sure?" his voice rang with concern.

Hana closed her eyes and smiled, "It's okay nii-san you don't need to worry about me."

That's when Hidan noticed what had been bugging him all morning. Both Akio and Hana were wearing Jashinist rosaries identical to his own. He couldn't believe he hadn't noticed sooner!

"YOU'RE JASHINISTS!?!"

Hana looked up at Hidan still smiling.

"Yes Hidan-sensei, we've been Jashinists since we were very little. Our mom was one too."

While Hidan stood flabbergasted, Kakuzu groaned. _Great! Two more religious fanatics, as if Hidan wasn't bad enough on his own. _He scribbled down something else into the folder then gestured towards Akio. "You're up next."

He subsequently asked Akio the same questions he'd asked Hana earlier. Akio was also a long to short range battle type whose strength was Ninjutsu and his chakra type was dark (a different combination of air and lightning). His jutsu were surprisingly different than his sister's though. Hidan found this out when Akio's shadow nearly snapped his scythe in half.

Lastly was Taree. She was a long to midrange fighter, had earth based chakra, and was skilled in both Nin and Taijutsu. Although he already knew one of Taree's jutsu, it had taken less than a minute for him to get snared by another equally painful of her plant-based jutsu. Even Kakuzu couldn't help snickering when one of Taree's plants, a bendy tree which resembled a young oak, snatched Hidan's scythe from him and began to beat him over the head with the dull end.

After bandages were administered, wounds were sewn up, and many apologies were said; the group began the long journey back to headquarters.

Kakuzu looked down, noticing that Hana was gently pulling on his sleeve.

"What it is it Kid?"

"I was just wondering how the others are doing Kakuzu-san."

Kakuzu smirked underneath his ever-present mask.

He could only imagine how Deidara and Sasori were handling Kalori, Yumiko and the pyromaniac.

"I trust they're having an _interesting_ time…"

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**{One word. REVIEW!}**


	9. Preliminary Testing Part2

**{****-Attempting to pay attention in class (or at least trying to fake it)****}**

2 weeks left until Spring break, I don't think I'll make it. -

**--------------------------------------**

"Danna why do we have to test them in the middle of the desert un!" whined Deidara.

Sasori stared at him as if he was a complete idiot.

"Are you suggesting we let the pyromaniac try out his **fire **jutsu near the base, which is **flammable**?" inquired the puppet master.

"Still, why out here? It's scorching hot un!"

Sasori sighed, "Sand, unlike forests, is not combustible."

Deidara sulked. Sasori was right about the benefits their location, but that didn't mean Deidara had to like it.

He then noticed Sasori was reading those files leader-sama had handed them before they had left headquarters.

"Hey un! Let me see!"

"Brat, if you desire to read these documents be silent."

"Fine whatever I'll be quiet; now let me read!"

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**Name****- Hyuuga, Kalori**

**Age****- 10 years**

**Rank****- Jounin [Advanced Tracking Platoon]**

**-Graduated from the Academy at age 7; had second highest scores of all the Genin in her graduating class. **

**-Passed Chuunin Exams at age 8 & Jounin Exam at age 9.**

**Medical Diagnose(s)-**

**-Exhibits Byakugan blood line trait **

**- [Puts further strain on optic nerves, excessive use is discouraged] **

**- [Exhibits mutations in blood line; see page 2.]**

**-Eye sight damaged beyond repair**

**-Demonstrates extreme allergies to environmental irritants [Breathing stops, etc.]**

**Jutsu-** [see following page]

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But as Sasori lent to turn the page, Deidara yanked the files out of his partner's hands.

"I wasn't done reading that page yet un!"

"Give the folder back brat!" yelled the now fuming Sasori

"Make me! Besides its not like I'd rip it up or something un!" shouted Deidara mockingly.

**Chomp.**

Deidara looked down. His hand had begun chewing on the all important documents. He was **so** dead.

Sasori whispered his voice icy with rage, "Brat relinquish the documents **now**."

Deidara began to back away from Sasori slowly.

"Come on Danna, it isn't that bad…Hey using Hiruko is cheating!"

From a few yards away Kalori, Yumiko and Indigo watched that sand comically spew everywhere as Deidara and Sasori fought over the remains of the ruined documents. Yumiko whispered to the others, "Do you still wish we had rigged the straws?"

Indigo and Kalori both nodded.

------------------------

The feuding lasted another ten minutes or so, until Sasori tried to stab Deidara with a poison covered kunai; that's when Kalori intervened. She quickly wrenched the weapon from his grasp then expertly jammed it into his shoulder joint to stop any further arm movement and pulled the quarreling shinobi apart. Her voice was cold and didn't seem possible to be coming from a ten year old, "Now if you are done fighting over a torn up file we can finally get on with leader-sama's orders."

Sasori shot a menacing glare at the child then tried to pull out the kunai. No go, it was wedged in deep. Deidara stood up and started dusting the sand off of himself; afterward he turned to see that the file had been reduced to a pile of white mulch. Leader-sama was going to be pissed.

Yumiko cheerfully spoke up, "So what do you want us to do Deidara-sensei and Sasori no danna?"

Sasori ignored the nickname for the time being, he was fairly used to it by now. "You and Indigo spar, we'll observe."

All seemed clear until Indigo spoke up, "So what're the rules?"

Deidara looked dumbstruck, "What are you talking about un?!"

"You know; what jutsu are we allowed to use, how do we determine who won, that stuff", said Indigo, seeming flustered when he answered.

The group paused for a moment to ponder this. Yumiko finally thought of the perfect arrangement.

"Indigo and I could only use jutsu we made up or reinvented, the first to give up loses and afterward Kalori could spar with the winner?"

The others nodded in agreement, this sounded reasonable.

-----------------------

Indigo and Yumiko each took their stances then waited for the signal.

"READY STEADY GO!" yelled Deidara excitedly.

Indigo swiftly pulled some kunai from his holster then preceded code them in his chakra. After a moment he threw them a few feet in the air to establish the flaming chakra strings.

Indigo next maneuvered the kunai using the burning chakra strings, slightly resembling the puppet master technique.

Sasori watched analytically, pondering how the pyromaniac had thought of such a clever idea.

Yumiko spun, skillfully dodging the flaming strings and burning kunai. She then clapped her hands together to summon her chakra, and then formed a hand sign. "Water style: rain drop summoning!"

A fog seemed to come out of nowhere and slowly condensed into water droplets, subsequently hardened into ice. She formed another hand seal, "Water style: dry ice bombs!"

A giant smile crept over Deidara's face, this was finally getting interesting.

Indigo's visible eye widened. He remembered this technique from the last time he sparred with Yumiko. He let go of his flaming chakra stings and quickly formed a complicated hand sign, "Fire style: Dragon spit fire jutsu!"

And just in time, as he blew the searing flames, Yumiko's ice bombs went off.

The explosion was deafening.

Deidara had only one thought as he watched: _I should have brought a camera_. After all, Hidan would never believe these two little kids could be so destructive.

--------------------

When Indigo and Yumiko finally regained consciousness they realized they were on the back of a giant clay bird. Indigo was the first to speak.

"So who won?"

Deidara chuckled. "It was a tie Pyro."

Indigo did a mental face-palm.

Yumiko interrupted, speaking in an odd curious tone.

"Where are we?"

Deidara grinned. He had been hoping she'd ask this.

"We're on one of my sculptures un!"

Sasori muttered something vile under his breath and Kalori seemed to be pondering something to herself, while Yumiko held out her arms and felt the wind rush through her. She vaguely wondered if Luna-sensei and Kenjii were having this much fun with Itachi-san and Kisame-san.

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**{I'm utterly and completely sorry that this chapter was added so late! I've had boat-loads of homework this past week and oodles of tests. Needless to say it was ****very**** unpleasant and I will try to update sooner.}**


	10. Preliminary Testing Part3

**{I'm thinking of doing a set of stories on the pasts of the ten new Akatsuki members to be added very soon. But before I officially start the chapter I must remind you all of two things: (1) REVIEW! and (2) There's a favorite character poll on my profile page thing, the winner of the poll will be the first to have their personal story posted.}**

**----------------------------**

A sharp voice pierced the quiet calm that surrounded the forest to the north of the Akatsuki base.

"What 'cha doing 'ey?"

Kisame looked up from the paperback he was skimming. It was the latest edition of the Bingo Book which had just arrived this morning.

"I'm trying to find my entry in the Bingo Book."

"Why?"

Kisame suppressed the urge to strangle Kenjii right then and there. He hadn't stopped asked annoying questions since they had left the base.

"Last year some idiot misspelled my name and we had to go burn down all the stores that sold the stupid book."

"'Ey I'll help you look!"

Kenjii then helpfully tried to wretch the book from Kisame's tight grasp. Kisame tried to yank the flimsy book back. All the while Itachi and Luna stood watching the skirmish in mild amusement.

"If you bust it you're buying a new one, this wasn't cheap!"

"'Ey I won't break it!"

Abruptly the costly book flew out of their grasp. The glare Kisame sent Kenjii would have made Gaara proud. He quickly stomped over and picked up the now soil-covered book and crossly dusted it off. Kenjii retreated behind Luna and Itachi. The Uchiha then turned around then pressed forward towards a diminutive clearing with the red-eyed girl and Kenjii following closely.

Before Kisame caught up to the threesome he glanced down at the pages the book had landed so harshly on (pages forty-nine and fifty). What he saw shocked him. The right page contained a large block of text. The left page contained a blurred photograph of a small child with colorless hair and blood red eyes. It was the child a few yards ahead of him. Kisame hesitated momentarily before skimming the block of text next to the picture.

___________________________________________________

**Name- **Luna

**Gender- **female

**Age- **seven years

**Origins- **Most likely the former Hidden Snow Village [Yukigakure]

**Nick names- **The demon of the snow, The untouchable

**Wanted for- **various murders, conspiracy, assassination of government officials including: the feudal lord of the land of snow, Yukikage, entire Yukigakure police and ninja forces, and hundreds of civilians

**Status**- S-class criminal [Avoid confrontation or combat if all possible], noted leader and negotiator of Kuroitsuki [see page 389 for further information]

**Wanted in- **all nations [preferably alive]

____________________________________________________

Kisame blinked then reread the passage a few times.

_Holy crap._

"Oi Kisame!" came a yell in the distance.

"Coming!"

--------------------

"It certainly took you long enough 'ey!"

"Can it kid. So is this the spot Itachi?"

"Hn."

The swordsman glanced around the clearing; it was fair sized and provided plenty of locations to conceal ones self in the surrounding forest.

"So what's the plan 'ey?"

Kisame sent death vibes towards Kenjii as he spoke.

"Oi Itachi, could I chop a few of the kid's limbs off to shut him up?"

"That would be unnecessary", replied Itachi in a blank monotone.

Luna spoke; her voice was equally as impassive as the unsociable Uchiha's, "If Kisame is so fervent to fight Kenjii, they could spar momentarily."

Kenjii and Kisame nodded in agreement and Itachi gave an apathetic "hn".

----------------

Like sports commentators, the Uchiha prodigy and pale child stood and watched as Kenjii and Kisame took their fighting stances. Kisame grasped Samehada tightly whilst Kenjii held his arms in front of him in a Prey-mantis style. A glassy look came over Kenjii's face, all childishness was wiped away leaving a cold serious look. After a moment they nodded once more and the clash began.

Samehada quickly came darting after the ten year old boy, but it was in vain. He had already dissolved into the forest around him.

"Come out, come out brat!" called Kisame smirking as he leapt from tree to tree in haste.

Suddenly the shark-like ninja turned to see the bothersome child standing on the forest floor below him. Kenjii swiftly placed his palms on the ground and whispered something to himself.

_Seismic wave detonation complete._

An earsplitting rumble could be heard as the land began to violently shake. Without warning, the gigantic red wood tree Kisame had been perched on gave way and crashed to the ground. He barely escaped being flattened.

"Not bad kid", panted Kisame, "So what kind of jutsu is that?"

Kenjii dodged Kisame's scaled sword as he answered, "My chakra is naturally quite destructive, I merely channel it into different forms of natural disasters."

The sparring dragged on for another twenty minutes and would have kept on had not Luna intervened. Kisame was about to stab the exhausted Kenjii when his scaled sword leapt from his grip into a giant red wood several yards away, as if seized by unseen hands. In an instant, the former hidden mist ninja noticed the seven year old girl on a branch near him. Her fingers were flexed slightly as if directing the Samehada's movement.

"Were this to continue half of the wooded area would be demolished and we'd have to explain an unnecessary death to leader-sama", spoke Luna coldly. Itachi muttered a 'mm' of agreement.

Kisame wincingly smiled then leapt away to find his sword with Kenjii following him and proclaiming how he would help in the search.

As they bounded from tree to tree Kisame whispered to the ginger haired ten year old.

"How did she do that?"

"Luna-sama explained it to me once a long time ago."

"And?"

"She said that because she is an empath she is able channel other peoples' emotions like energy out of her to move things."

"What's an empath?"

The child gave Kisame a dumbstruck look.

"Empathy is the ability to share or understand another's emotions; an empath is merely able to literally feel others emotions or hear their thoughts."

"Seriously?!"

"Seriously."

They came to where Samehada had been propelled into the trunk of an enormous red wood tree and (after much yanking and pulling) it became unlodged.

------------------

Subsequent to this the foursome headed back to headquarters; after all, demolishing a forest and/or killing new members was severely frowned upon by Pein.

Although as they journeyed through the miles of towering trees Kisame couldn't help wondering what exactly was _Kuroitsuki _and _why did Luna attack Yukigakure in the first place?_

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**{So don't forget to vote in the poll & review!}**


	11. Preliminary Testing Part4

**{I really enjoyed writing about Maralui and Taru in this chapter. (Maralui sort of reminds me of a tiny Gaara. ^^) At the end of the chapter are some sneak previews for the stories about my characters' pasts; so remember to read them and vote in the poll to decide which one gets posted first!}**

**------------------------**

As Zetsu, Tobi, Maralui and Taru ambled through the overgrown underbrush on the far side of headquarters, it was completely quiet; except for a single sound which pierced the calm silence.

"Tobi thinks this is so much fun right Zetsu-sensei!"

"**Tobi. Shut up."**

The scarlet haired girl and musician exchanged perplexed looks.

Maralui finally interrupted Tobi's joyful outburst; her voice was utterly blank.

"So what is the plan of action?"

"**You will illustrate** **your abilities.** _We will then return to the base."_

Maralui stepped forward to put some distance between herself and the other three shinobi (if Tobi could even be considered a shinobi). She commenced a flawless spin and by mid turn her form had already pixilated and disappeared into the air. Tobi whirled about in search for the small child, but she was no where to be seen.

"Maralui-chan where are you!?!"

A voice seemed to come from no where, "I'm right here Tobi."

As suddenly as this was said, the scarlet haired girl repixelated and come into view. Tobi sighed in relief. Zetsu analyzed what he had just seen; it didn't seem possible.

"**How is your kekkei-genkai practical for combat?"**

"I can pixelize the enemy's cells to detonate them from the inside out or slow down their blood stream to the point at which they drown in their own blood", said the six year old spoke in a blank monotone.

Tobi twitched.

"Kisame-san is right, Maralui-chan **is** creepy!"

Zetsu turned to Taru, who was now peacefully sitting on the sun-soaked ground strumming his guitar.

"**What are your abilities Taru?"**

The twelve year old spoke in a quiet calm tone as he continued to play his instrument.

"I use various harmonic and music based jutsu; however, my art is Kokoroto."

The plant-like ninja and Tobi sent bewildered looks at the musician.

"_What?_"

Taru paused momentarily in his strumming. He looked up at the elder Akatsuki members and began to move his mouth as if to speak; yet no words could be heard. Instead of words, a sound like the playing of an orchestra reverberated through the woodland. Trees and other greenery literally bowed as if to listen to the unique sound. When he finished speaking it seemed unusually dreary in the woodland.

Tobi started clapping energetically.

"That was amazing Taru-kun!"

Taru just shrugged his shoulders in reply. He subsequently stood up and brushed himself off before slinging his guitar over his back.

"Hey where are you going Taru-kun?"

Taru briefly looked over his shoulder as he continued walking.

"Zetsu said that if we demonstrated our capabilities we could return to the base."

Maralui nodded in agreement.

"**Then let us depart. **_Yes."_

As the group traveled back to headquarters Tobi whispered to Maralui.

"What's Kokoroto?"

Zetsu perked up his ears at this question, for he too was curious.

The six year old girl murmured an answer.

"Kokoroto is nearly a dead language; Taru is the only know speaker. It was the earliest form of jutsu, and used sound to control chakra instead of hand signs. Kokoroto cannot be translated into any other known language. Yet, somehow, Taru decoded the dialect when he was seven years old."

The elder Akatsuki members stood still for a moment as their juniors headed onward to the base. Who were these kids?

---------------------

**{As promised here are the sneak previews:**

**Maralui: **_-__Coming Dawn__ ~ One could say it was bitter irony when Maralui, the famed living sand, met Sabaku no Gaara... _

**Indigo: **_-__Infared _~ _Indigo never knew such a simple question would change his life, yet it did..._

**Taru: **_-__Rhapsody __~ People are like pieces of sheet music thought Taru; they are all so fleeting and transparent... _

**Kenjii: **_-__A Twist of Fate__~ Kenjii apeared to be a cheerfull, naïve child, but this like so many other things about him was just another falsehood..._

**Hana: **_-__Thunderstorm __~ For someone so quiet and fragile, it seemed odd that Hana loved thunderstorms..._

**Akio:**_-Where the sun never comes __~ As Akio looked out a window at the water pouring down it seemed as if there was no escape from the rain that so filled his soul... _

**Taree:**_-Walls of Ivy __~ Taree looked across the hilltop at the trenches and city below now swarming with a murky yellow-green gas..._

**Luna: **_-The Fallen ~__ No one understood what Luna was planning untill it was too late..._

**Yumiko: **_-Permifrost~ __Revolution was again brewing in the Hidden Mist village Yumiko knew this was a fact..._

**Kalori: **-No one ~ _"Even with your Sharingan you don't see clearly Sasuke Uchiha", remarked Kalori.._.**}**


	12. Unexpected Quandary

**{Hurray new chapter! I do not own: black outs, curry, or large explosions. I do own my list of characters on my page.}**

**-----------------------------------**

Deidara and Sasori's group was the first to get back to the Akatsuki base.

"Where's everyone Deidara-sensei?"

"How should I know un?"

"I hate being kept waiting."

"Don't be so grouchy Sasori no danna."

Kalori was the first to procure a solution. "Could we not compose lunch before the others return?" she stated more than questioned.

The others did a metal face-palm; it was a pretty obvious elucidation. Yumiko spoke up, "So what should we cook?"

The group of terrorists thought long and hard before finding their answer in the form of Diwali vegetable curry. Indigo and Yumiko hunted for the ingredients while Deidara feudally tried to light the stove, Kalori and Hiiro searched for dishes and eating utensils, and Sasori supervised.

"What's 'Garam Masala' Sasori no danna?"

"An Asian spice, it should be adjacent to the Thyme in the spice rack."

Deidara angrily flipped the knob to the front burner to no avail whilst Indigo watched the irritated artist.

"Deidara…"

"WHAT!?!"

"-I think you need a match."

"WHY WOULD I NEED TO GET A DAMN MATCH!?!"

"-Because the lighter on the stove is broken."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THE LIGHTER'S BROKEN!?!"

"-Because I broke it yesterday."

Yumiko tried to hold back her laughter as Deidara chased Indigo around the diminutive kitchen whilst shouting curses and death threats. The comical specter lasted for only a few moments though courtesy of Kalori. As Indigo ran past her she turned at precisely the right moment and pinned Deidara to the nearest wall with shuriken.

"I do not appreciate the excess noise."

Sasori observed the raven haired Hyuuga as the other two children tried to wretch the shuriken from Deidara's cloak. There was something odd about that ten year old…

--------------------------------

After Deidara was unfastened from the kitchen wall, things went much smoother. Sasori managed to fix the stovetop's lighter to the point at which it could function. At this point Itachi and Kisame's group arrived and occupied four of the remaining kitchen chairs. Yumiko handed the stirring spoon to Sasori then plopped down between Deidara and Kisame at the table and began to manipulate a cup of water.

The water seemed to bend and shift with movement of her fingers. She giggled then asked Deidara in a low whisper, "How'd you make that awesome bird sensei?"

Deidara reached into one of his clay pouches, pulling out a handful of C-2 clay. He then had his hand-mouths chew it for a few minutes and subsequently molded it into a minuscule butterfly. It took off from his outstretched hand and fluttered in the air for a moment. Deidara formed a hand sign and whispered "_Katsu!_"

The tiny insect detonated in a multicolored blast.

"Fine art is the beauty of that single fleeting moment of explosion."

Yumiko nodded in agreement. Suddenly the water she had been manipulating changed from an abstract blob to a near perfect sphere then bent into a geometric bird, slightly resembling one of Deidara's birds.

"Art is a blast!" shouted the azure haired seven year old.

The bird exploded sending chards of thick ice into the table top and toward the assembly of Akatsuki sitting about.

"Psychos!" yelled Kenjii as he and Indigo dove under the table. Itachi, Deidara and Kisame narrowly dodged the blast of ice splinters. Kalori carefully deflected the ice shards with a kunai. Sasori glared at Yumiko whilst muttering about how the large explosion was a disgrace to art. The elder Akatsuki observed as the shards of frozen water flew at Luna. Without so much as a hand sign the splinters stopped in midair as if held by invisible hands. Deidara stared wide eyed at the red eyed seven year old.

"Un!?"

As if on queue, Hidan and Kakuzu's group arrived.

"What the fuck!"

"**Who. Destroyed. The. Table**."

"Hurray curry!"

"Hn."

"For once I'm innocent."

Yumiko looked at Deidara worryingly. "Did I do something wrong?"

Kenjii quickly crawled out from under the table. "N-No Yumiko nothing's wrong", he stuttered as he gave the small child a firm hug. "_She gets violent when she's sad_", he mouthed to the others. In hardly any time at all Yumiko was surrounded by her younger teammates who were rapidly spewing out apologies and reassuring words. Needless to say when Pein, Konan, and Zetsu and Tobi's group and appeared in the kitchen door way they were very perplexed.

-----------------------------------

After much shoving, ladling of curry, and fighting over who got to sit at the destroyed white table (Pein, Konan, Sasori, Zetsu, Itachi, and Kisame) and who got to sit on the floor (everyone else) they all dug in. Meal time chatter soon echoed through the headquarters.

"Are you sure that this is 100% edible?"

"Kalori don't be so sarcastic; and yes, it's probably edible."

"-The explosion was gigantic un! Who would've guessed two little kids could be so destructive?"

"Holy Jashin this stuff is good!"

"Do. Not. Mock. Jashin."

"-Indigo didn't touch it did he?"

"Hey Luna-san are you okay?"

The talking immediately stopped and several pairs of eyes darted towards Luna. Something was wrong; she was gripping her head in pain. Suddenly the lights began to sputter on and off. The cupboard doors violently slammed themselves open and closed until they fell off their hinges. Dishware cracked and was hurled at the walls as if by unseen hands. Tobi screamed, "Ghosts!" whilst cowering under the kitchen table. Hidan's curses became inaubitable.

As the red-eyed seven year old winced in unfathomable pain she spoke in her usual emotionless monotone, "There is a revolt occurring in the Hidden Mist village [Kirigakure]. Hitherto eighty seven are injured and sixty four are dead."

The younger children gathered around Luna trying to console her.

"Can't we do **something**?!" yelled Kakuzu over the clatter of doors crashing and electrical static.

"No! You'll just make it worse!"

"What's going on Senpai!?"

"Shut up baka!"

"How anomalous."

Then as suddenly as the terrifying display had started, it stopped. Dishes fell to the floor barely missing those seated there. The banging of doors disappeared. The lights flickered out one final time and left the Akatsuki in complete and total darkness. It was completely silent except for one blank voice…

----------------------------------------

**{Dun! dun! dun! Cliffy endings are so much fun to write!}**


	13. Nightmares

**{Incase you didn't already know, the first few chapters of Walls of ****Ivy and ****Permafrost**** are out (Taree and Yumiko's prequels)! (Happy Dance) Rant: I do not own: black outs, Naruto or some other third thing. I do own my list of characters on my page.}**

**-----------------------------------**

_Then as suddenly as the terrifying display had started, it stopped. Dishes fell to the floor barely missing those seated there. The banging of doors disappeared. The lights flickered out one final time and left the Akatsuki in complete and total darkness. It was completely silent except for one blank voice…_

"What the fuck just happened?" murmured Hidan; his blank voice seeming to disappear into the shadows now engulfed the kitchen. For a few moments no one answered giving the dark room an eerie silence.

"Overstimulation", whispered the child with blood red eyes. "Unlike most empaths who only feel emotions or thoughts at short range, I pick up emotional and thought signals from varying distances. Normally the farther away a person is from my location the weaker their signal is. The exception to this is when a large number of people feel the same emotion or have the same thought process, usually extreme pain or death."

A small snap was heard as Indigo lit minute chakra flames on his fingertips. The little red-blue flames flickered and sparked giving the room a faint glow.

Tobi spoke up from beneath his bright orange acrylic mask. "So it's like Luna-san has a mental cell phone!"

Eight menacing dark eyes where sent at the masked ninja.

"Tobi needs to be punished", spoke the usually cheerful Kenjii harshly.

A small chorus of agreement came from the other younger members.

Kalori whispered icily, "Might I be the one to discipline him?"

"Fair enough, Maralui got to discipline the last one", replied Akio equally as cold.

The elder Akatsuki members took interest; punishing Tobi was always an interesting spectacle.

In a second Kalori's pupil-less violet eyes normally covered by a thin white film changed to deep black voids and the veins near her eyes became visible. As her unseeing gaze fell on Tobi she spoke something softly.

"Byakugan Nightmare Realm: seize."

Tobi stared at her puzzlingly for a moment before letting out a blood curdling scream as he collapsed to the floor in a comatose-like state.

Moments later the blind Hyuga's eyes returned to their original condition.

"He will be released in an hour."

"One minute equals one hour in the nightmare realm right?"

"Correct Indigo."

"So what's his nightmare Kalori-chan?" chirped Yumiko.

Kalori smiled to herself before answering.

_Tobi was floating in an empty void. He was nearly alone except for one person. As Tobi stared at his reflection in the mirror he desperately tried to look away. The reflection's single sinister glowing red eye seemed to bore through Tobi's very soul as it whispered the same phrase over and over in a freighting sing-songy voice. _

"_**Tobi is a bad boy, Tobi is a bad boy…" **_

"_NOOOOO!!!" he screamed._

------------------------------------------------------------

While the younger members began to argue over what to due about the fried electrical system and disaster zone of a kitchen, the elder Akatsuki members stared wide-eyed at Tobi who was violently twitching in the middle of the kitchen floor.

"_Remind me not to piss her off un_", said Deidara quietly to his partner.

"_For once you are correct brat_."

-----------------about ten minutes later---------------

The other Akatsuki members groaned. Those three hadn't still hadn't stopped arguing.

"-For the last time Pyro, firecrackers **do not** make safe candles!"

"If you remove the explosive components they do **so** make good candles Taree!"

"Would both of you just shut the fuck up!?!"

"-Same to you Hidan-teme!"

Yumiko giggled to herself.

"What's so damn funny!?!"

Between giggles the seven year old tried to explain. "Akio-kun already got some candles a while ago, but you've been too busy fighting to notice."

Indigo, Taree and Hidan all did mental face-palms.

"And no one told us why…?"

This time Deidara spoke, "After the first two minutes un, we started taking bets to see how long you guy would keep bickering."

"So who won?" questioned Indigo.

Everyone turned to Kakuzu who had written down the wagers.

"Itachi and Kalori both presumed it would last further than ten minutes so they win."

"Wait a second you started taking damn bets on us?!?"

"Why not? You're cheaper than cable", replied the tight fisted Akatsuki member.

Akio attempted to cover his little sister's ears as Hidan let out a stream of colorful curses .

-----------------------------------

**{Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, and story alerts; they encourage me to write faster! On another note what's your take 'do firecrackers make safe candles?' And if you are confused about Kalori's jutsu it is the mutation of her kekkai genkai mensioned in 'Preliminary Testing Part2' and is further explained in Kalori's prequel which I plan to have up soonish.}**


	14. Fireflies & Instant Coffee

**{(Tackles nearest reviewer) Thankfulness in bucket loads for all of the reviews, favorites, and story alerts! You readers are so awesome! Rant: I do not own: instant coffee, Naruto or sleeplessness (the word sleeplessness is owned by the dictionary). I do own my list of characters on my page.}**

**Note: Amegakure~ the hidden rain village**

**-----------------later------------------**

Deidara tiredly blinked at the simple black alarm clock whose glowing numbers seemed to puncture the darkness of he and Sasori's room.

**2:26 AM**

The blond terrorist had been lying awake for more than three hours now.

_I should just go downstairs,_ he considered. After all, Sasori no danna was **very** irritable when awoken.

He sat up slowly before carefully pushing the mountain of useless items away from the edge of his bed. The artist still hadn't found anytime to clean up his half of the room and probably never would. Using his feet, Deidara gently navigated at a snail's pace through the shadows to the doorknob. As he twisted the brass handle and stepped into the hallway in his silken black and red pajamas. Deidara was taken aback by the how pitch-black it was.

He closed his visible eye.

He was right; it was actually _brighter_ with his eyes closed.

Slowly, but surely the blond moved down the hall feeling along the plaster walls for the stair railing.

_There!_

It startled the artist as he recognized the wooden railing by touch alone. What must it be like for the lights to turn off permanently?

_This must be what it's like for Kalori every second of everyday…_

Deidara stumbled down the stairs trying to shove this thought from his weary mind; facing planting on hard on the wood floor in the process.

The blond terrorist froze, listening for footsteps.

The faint pitter-patter of feet reached the artist's ears, but it wasn't coming from upstairs.

He quickly gazed over the room. To his surprise a dim light was secreting from the kitchen.

On tip-toe the blond entered the shadowy room. In the weak light that illuminated the kitchen sat Hana at the ruined white table with an empty mug, spoon, and a jar of instant coffee.

"What are you doing up firefly-chan?" inquired Deidara as he sat at the table next to the young jashinist.

The little girl gave a warm smile as she tried to unscrew the lid of the jar.

"The people in Amegakure sometimes called me that, but now only Nii-san does. Could you loosen this lid Deidara-san?"

The artist frowned as he took the jar of instant coffee from Hana and pounded on the lid to release it.

"Why are you trying to make coffee un, it tastes terrible. An' why'd people in Amegakure call you that?"

The pale blond child proceeded to spoon out a small amount of the bitter brown powder into her ceramic blue mug.

"I'm busy helping Maralui-san."

The elder Akatsuki raised an eyebrow.

Hana gestured towards the living room, "If Maralui-san falls too deeply sleep her limbs start to atomize, so I'm making sure that doesn't happen again. I need coffee to stay awake."

Deidara nodded, agreeing with her logic.

"You didn't answer my question un."

"Hm?"

"Why'd people call you firefly?"

There was a pause before her reply as she filled the mug with water then placed it in the microwave for forty-five seconds.

"There are two reasons."

"And they are?"

"Number one: My kekkei genkai allows me to direct light particles using my chakra. The effect in raw form looks like fireflies at nighttime."

There was a moment of brief silence as she removed her warmed mug and sat back down on a wooden red chair. The seven year old grimaced as she sipped some of the dark brown liquid.

"Number two I'm not so sure of. Nii-san says it's because I'm a jashinist."

The young girl stuck out her tongue as Deidara snatched her mug and poured the hot liquid down the drain.

"You're too little to drink coffee firefly-chan. Now please elaborate un."

A frown crossed her face as she responded, "Nii-san says it's because when people think of Jashinists they usually think of angry masochistic people who just want to kill everyone. I guess people think I'm unlike the others, like a firefly in a summer storm."

The pale blond gave a sleepy yawn and gently laid her head on the scratched table top.

The terrorist lightly tapped her, she was already sound asleep.

Deidara cautiously picked up the sleeping child and placed her on the unoccupied toffee colored sofa in the living room, careful as to not wake either the jashinist or the sleeping six year old on the other sofa. He then quietly took a seat on the black recliner in the corner of the room.

_Who are these kids, _wondered the artist as he drifted into slumber.

-----------------------------------

**{Please review! (yawns, I really shouldn't write around eleven o'clock at night)}**


	15. The Burning Rain

**{Arrg! *battles procrastination demons* Rant: I do not own: Naruto, thunderstorms, or extreme shock. I do own my list of characters on my page. Also there are some more chapters of 'Permafrost' and 'Walls of Ivy' up peoples!**

**Notes: Konohagakure- the hidden leaf village, Takigakure- the hidden waterfall village **

**Another Note- I just posted a sketch of Akio (the link is on my page). Illustrations of my other characters should be up soonish!} **

**-----------------Morning------------------**

"Hidan hurry the fuck up or I'll blast the door down!" shouted Taree at the bathroom door.

As usual Hidan had gotten to the bathroom first, and to the fury of the other Akatsuki members, was using up all of the hot water.

A muffled snicker was heard from within the locked bathroom.

"Alright you asked for it!" proclaimed the ivy haired girl as she began to trace out an explosive seal on the door. Luckily for the door Kakuzu stopped her.

"Blow up the door and you're paying for a new one."

The ivy haired girl sent him a death glare. "But that bastard is using up all of the hot water again!"

Zetsu interrupted, "Then why not force him out of the shower. **I hear the plumbing is in the basement**.

Mutual evil grins passed over the faces of those waiting in the hall. Hidan was going to be very, very pissed.

-------------------------------

As the group of Akatsukis marched down the basement stairs they received many a raised eyebrow from those seated in the kitchen. Yumiko was busily trying to boil water on the stove in an attempt to cook spaghetti for breakfast, which was apparently the only thing she could cook without burning. At this point both Konan and Hana tried to intervene and remind the bluenette seven year old that turning on the burner was quite necessary to boiling anything. Tobi contentedly played with a small lump of play-dough. Akio was reading a black hard covered book at the ruined white table whilst occasionally looking up to check on his little sister. Next to him Itachi was working on a crossword puzzle and on his other side sat Taru working on a new musical composition. Indigo sat in a corner with a blank dazed look in his eyes and mumbling occasionally to himself as he stared out one of the cleverly disguised one-way windows of the base at the rain coming down in torrents outside.

A sudden angry scream echoed through the base as the group of Akatsukis re-emerged from the basement.

"What'd you do?" asked Konan skeptically.

"We turned off the hot water 'ey", replied Kenjii with an evil grin.

----------------------------

As plates of spaghetti were distributed among all who were seated in the kitchen and the single jar of tomato sauce passed around, Hidan stomped angrily into the small kitchen and yanked away Taree's plate of spaghetti before finding a place to sit on the tiled floor.

"Give back my damn breakfast asshole!"

"You stole all the fucking hot water so this is my reimbursement."

The other Akatsuki members, except for Pein who still hadn't come downstairs, snickered as Hidan and Taree began a tug of war over the plate before the ten year old let go flinging the pasta into the jashinist's face.

"I hate you."

"Hate is a strong word for someone covered in spaghetti."

At this comment the silver haired Akatsuki lunged at the ivy haired child who moved sending the jashinist crashing straight into the wall behind her.

Deidara laughed so hard he began to choke on his pasta.

The only one who remained silent was Indigo who still hadn't even touched his food or looked away from the window.

"You okay Pyro?" remarked Kakuzu gruffly to the raven haired pyromaniac.

At this, Indigo mumbled again to himself this time loud enough for everyone to hear.

"…_the rain won't put it out…it's my fault…_"

Kisame elbowed the pyromaniac in the ribs, "Earth to Pyro!"

But it was if Indigo was in a trace and couldn't see or hear anything around him except for the downpour outside the base.

"Are you ok, un?" asked Deidara sounding slightly nervous.

"He has Ombrophobia", explained Kalori calmly, "Or to put it more simply, fear of rain. It makes him remember the night his parents died."

Sasori inquired further, "What occurred?"

Kalori paused before speaking to lift her raven, Hiiro, off of her shoulder onto the tabletop.

"It happened just after Indigo turned five, he had been researching into his clans' fire jutsu when he discovered it…"

"What?" queried Hidan now interested.

"Hiyurigan, 'the fire lily eye' technique", said the blind Hyuga in her usual monotone. "The technique allows the user to burn anything that enters their pupil's field of vision, even water, and can only be put out by the jutsu's user. The Akiyama clan was quite well known for their eye technique before the second world war."

"What happened during the war?" asked the silver haired jashinist.

"Stop continuously asking questions and I'll tell you."

Hidan glared at the dark haired Hyuga, but shut up he wanted to hear the story.

"During the second world war the ninja of the Akiyama clan were often ordered by the Konoha generals to burn the enemy's civilian towns so that the military could more easily attack the large military bases without worrying of reinforcements. The vast majority of the Akiyama ninja who survived the horrors of the war denounced their loyalties to the leaf village and left for Takigakure in search of peace. The few who remained in Konohagakure were mostly lower level chunin who had little or no knowledge of their clan's eye technique. With time it was forgotten, until Indigo rediscovered it."

Hidan tried to interrupt, but Tobi clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Shhh!"

"Being only five when he awakened his ability, he had very little control over it and was unprepared when the massacre occurred."

"Huh?"

"Shut up Hidan!" yelled the elder Akatsuki members.

Kalori began where she left off.

"During a small incident, Indigo's left eye activated and he was unable to disable the technique. The entire Akiyama complex burned to the ground along with everyone and everything inside, even the rain that had begun to fall became inflamed, only Indigo survived. His left eye which the eye technique is still activated in remains bandaged to prevent such loss of life occurring again."

Kalori was now silent and had finished telling the tragic tale.

The room was now completely silent; the only sound that could be heard was the beating of heavy rain against the base.

------------------------------

**{Sorry this chapter took so long to write. 'What's your opinion of Indigo's tragic past?' 'Should I begin his prequel soon?' 'Will you review?' and 'Why am I asking you all of these questions?!?'}**


	16. Bingo

**{Before I start the chapter I'm going to check how many hits 'Beginnings' has had so far. (ca-click) What the….It has had ****3,251**** hits! (throws confetti)**

**Rant: I do not own: Naruto, thunderstorms, or the Bingo Book. I do own my list of characters on my page.**

**As I have said before there I just updated 'Walls of Ivy' and 'Permafrost' which are the more detailed versions of Taree and Yumiko's pasts. If you have any time could you review and tell me if they're any good? Please? Pretty please!?!**

**Notes: Craftsman village- Takumigakure**

**Also sorry this chapter is so short!} **

**-----------------------------------**

When Pein entered the dim kitchen he was slightly taken aback by the sight which greeted him. The eight younger members (and Indigo who was still gazing silently out the window) were seated at the damaged kitchen table digging through what appeared to a mountain of paperwork and documents…The documents and paperwork from **his office.**

The elder Akatsuki members watched in silence from the living room entry way trying to speculate what leader-sama was going to do. Tobi shivered remembering the pages Kisame had shown them in the bingo book less than five minutes ago.

**-----------------------**

_**Name-**__Hayashi, Taree_

_**Gender-**__ female_

_**Age- **__10 years_

_**Origins- **__Kusagakure_

_**Nick names- **__The Carnation of Kusagakure_

_**Wanted for- **__treason, conspiracy, various unsolved murders of Anbu Black Ops and high ranking Jounin, assassination of the leader of Takumigakure and General Tanaka of Takumigakure_

_**Status- **__S-class [Currently classified as missing-nin by Takumigakure, status unknown in other hidden villages], noted member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389 for further information]_

_**Wanted in- **__Takumigakure and Iwagakure [preferably alive]_

_-------------------------_

_**Name- **__Akiyama, Indigo_

_**Gender- **__male_

_**Age- **__9 years_

_**Origins- **__Konohagakure _

_**Nick names- **__The Phoenix, the indigo flame, the last Akiyama_

_**Wanted for- **__Arson of over 400 buildings through out Konohagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and several minor villages, many unsolved murder cases, and illegal theft of highly combustible chemicals _

_**Status- **__S-class [possible missing-nin status], noted member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__Otogakure [dead or alive]_

_----------------------------_

_**Name- **__Koizumi, Akio_

_**Gender- **__male_

_**Age- **__8 years_

_**Origins- **__Amegakure_

_**Nick names- **__The Shadow, Akio of shadows_

_**Wanted for- **__murder of 48 civilians and 15 Anbu operatives in Amegakure, and murders of various civilians and shinobi in several other nations _

_**Status- **__S-class [Missing-nin status in all countries excluding Amegakure] [WARNING- Avoid combat], possible member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__All countries excluding Amegakure [alive]_

_------------------------_

_**Name- **__Koizumi, Hana_

_**Gender- **__female_

_**Age- **__7 years_

_**Origins- **__Amegakure_

_**Nick names- **__The firefly, Hana of light_

_**Wanted for- **__murders of various civilians and shinobi in Amegakure and other nations_

_**Status- **__S-class [Missing-nin status in all countries excluding Amegakure], possible member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__All countries excluding Amegakure [alive]_

_--------------------------_

_**Name- **__Hyuga, Kalori_

_**Gender- **__female_

_**Age- **__10 years_

_**Origins- **__Konohagakure_

_**Nick names- **__The evil eye, the blind ninja_

_**Wanted for- **__assassination of Anbu ROOT operatives and two members of the Hyuga clan, possible knowledge of Itachi Uchiha's current whereabouts _

_**Status- **__S-class [Missing-nin status in Konohagakure only], possible information gatherer of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__Konohagakure_

_-------------------------_

_**Name- **__Fukui, Kenjii_

_**Gender- **__male_

_**Age- **__10 years_

_**Origins- **__Kumogakure_

_**Nick names- **__Kenjii of the Lightening Brigade_

_**Wanted for- **__murders of government officials, destruction of buildings and public property_

_**Status- **__S-class [Missing-nin status in Kirigakure], negotiator of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__Kirigakure and Kumogakure [alive]_

_-----------------------------_

_**Name- **__Hikawa, Maralui_

_**Gender- **__female_

_**Age- **__6 years_

_**Origins- **__Sunagakure_

_**Nick names- **__The living sand, the crimson ninja, the last of the Hikawa, the prodigy of murder_

_**Wanted for- **__murders of several hundred civilians and shinobi of Sunagakure_

_**Status- **__S-class missing-nin [In Sunagakure and its allied nations] [WARNING- Avoid combat or confrontation], possible member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__Sunagakure and its allies, and Otogakure [alive] _

_-----------------------------_

_**Name- **__Kawaguchi, Yumiko_

_**Gender- **__female_

_**Age- **__7 years_

_**Origins- **__Kirigakure_

_**Nick names- **__Yumiko of the Ice, the deceiver_

_**Wanted for- **__murder of majority of Kirigakure revolutionary forces_

_**Status- **__S-class missing-nin [Only in Kirigakure], possible member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389]_

_**Wanted in- **__Kirigakure [alive]_

_----------------------------_

_**Name- **__Wakahisa, Taru_

_**Gender- **__male_

_**Age- **__12 years_

_**Origins- **__Iwagakure_

_**Nick names- **__The sounding, The silent killer_

_**Wanted for- **__murders of sixteen nurses in an Iwagakure institution and several government officials, assassination of many Otogakure shinobi and government officials_

_**Status- **__S-class [missing-nin status to be decided], member of Kuroitsuki [see page 389] [WARNING- approach with caution]_

_**Wanted in- **__Iwagakure and Otogakure [alive]_

_----------------------------_

_**Name- **__Luna_

_**Gender- **__female_

_**Age- **__7 years_

_**Origins- **__Most likely the former Hidden Snow Village [Yukigakure]_

_**Nick names- **__The demon of the snow, the untouchable_

_**Wanted for- **__various murders, conspiracy, assassination of government officials including: the feudal lord of the land of snow, Yukikage, entire Yukigakure police and ninja forces, and hundreds of civilians_

_**Status- **__S-class criminal [WARNING- Avoid confrontation or combat if all possible], noted leader and negotiator of Kuroitsuki [see page 389 for further information]_

_**Wanted in- **__all nations [preferably alive]_

------------------------------

The elder Akatsukis perked up their ears and listened as Pein began to speak...

Pein narrowed his whirlpool-like eyes hawkishly as he spoke in an icy cold tone, "What is the meaning of this?"

The eight children seated near the scratched white table looked up, but said nothing. The tension amongst the cold silence was thick enough to slice with a kunai.

In a second the metallic glint of shuriken was visible in Pein's clenched fist.

"Answer", whispered the Akatsuki leader frostily, but still the precarious quiet hung to the walls of the Akatsuki's base.

The elder Akatsuki were now practically falling into the kitchen as they teetered against the walls eagerly listening, but skillfully trying to hide from their leader's view.

For a moment it was as if time froze in the kitchen as the metal throwing stars left the leader's grasp and flew towards the seated children before halting in midair as if stopped by unseen hands.

The base was silent as a tomb for a full minute and a half before the white haired child with blood red eyes spoke.

"Your documents were outdated, we were merely correcting them", said Luna monotonously as she held up a file for the ginger haired leader to read. It was a file listing a one of Akatsuki's many subordinates, an information gatherer stationed in Sunagakure. The stark white typed paper now read along the edge of the page in bright red kanji '_Assassinated by Hikawa, Maralui for betraying secrets of Akatsuki and attempting to help authorities capture other subordinates_'.

A moment later the empath formed a one handed seal and whispered, "Release."

A blood red seal appeared on the ceiling as the mountain of papper work floated upwards into it as if into a black hole. There was a loud whirring noise as the seal and documents dissapeared from sight leaving only a faint outline on the plaster ceiling where the jutsu had been.

"The files are now in their previous location", said the empath in a blank emotionless tone as she and the other children filed from the room leaving Pein to gaze after them in doubt...

-------------------------------

**{Old a/n: _Attack of the cliffy chapter! Reviews to 'Beginnings', 'Walls of Ivy', or 'Permafrost' will encourage me to end the cliffyness sooner (review all three and win brownie points!_)}**

**{It wouldn't make very much sense if I chopped this chapter in half so I added the second half onto the end of this chapter. }**


	17. Shadows

**{Yays! The brownie point score board is listed at the end of the chapter! Rant: I do not own: Naruto, thunderstorms, or over protective brothers (just Akio). I do own my list of characters on my page.**

**Note: **

**1. I added a lot to the end of the last chapter so this chapter won't make sense unless you've read the added part first. **

**2. Imouto means 'little sister'. That is all. (Roll chapter!)}**

**-----------------------------------**

Kisame snickered as he contemplated the scene in the living room. It had been about an hour since the startling confrontation between Luna and the Akatsuki leader, but the usual chaos of the base had returned. In front of the television Taree and Hidan wrestled over the remote while occasionally let a swear word fly or a shout of;

"There is no way in hell I'm watching the discovery channel!"

"What afraid you'll learn something teme?!"

On one of the toffee colored sofas Kenjii, Deidara and Yumiko argued over who they guessed would win the remote. So far the odds were 2:1 in Taree's favor. On the other toffee sofa Hana listened to a CD while bouncing up and down energetically on the sofa as if it were a trampoline. Apparently the seven year old Jashinist had a thing for Hidan's death metal CDs. In the corner of the large room Taru sat at the piano which had been brought up from the dark depths of the basement the night before and played a thin spidery melody that seemed to echo through the base. Below a collage of framed photographs Maralui and Sasori sat playing chess with Zetsu keeping score and commentating on the game. And finally sat Akio propped against one of the few empty gaps on the chocolate brown walls that wasn't covered in framed photographs, reading a black hard-covered book entitled, '_It'_ by Stephen King.

All seemed light and calm until Kakuzu entered the room. The masked shinobi seemed to carefully scan the room over contentedly until he saw the seven year old jashinist jumping on the sofa causing the toffee colored piece of furniture to creak dangerously.

"You're breaking the couch", hissed the missing-nin, his temper rising; but Hana didn't hear him and continued bouncing.

_**CRACK!**_

In a split second the toffee sofa seemed to collapse inward on itself leaving the piece of furniture in ruin.

"…Opps…" whispered the pale child as she turned off the CD player and stepped off the wreckage nervously. Everyone looked up speculating what the stingy missing-nin would do.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed as his right fist began turn black. "You ruined it", he said in a dead calm.

_He's losing his temper_, thought Konan to herself. This was bad; if Hana got hit by even one of Kakuzu's lightest attacks she could be severely injured.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as Kakuzu threw a punch at the fragile former-rain ninja and everyone watched in shock.

But the hardened fist never reached its target. In a swift and fluid movement a black blur passed between Hana and Kakuzu cleanly slicing through the masked ninja's threaded wrist.

Akio stood like a wall between the elder missing-nin and his little sister his shadow seeming to bend upward defying gravity as it held Kakuzu's severed wrist tightly. His eyes normally the gloomy grey of a rain cloud now seemed dark and frightening. As the former rain ninja spoke his voice seemed edged with bitterness and ice.

"If you **ever **hurt Imouto I won't hesitate to kill you Kakuzu."

A deadly silence held the room for a moment before Kenjii spoke.

"Calm down 'ey", chuckled the orange haired nine year old, "We're running out of places to hide the bodies."

Hana gripped her older brother's black sleeve as she quietly whispered, "It's okay Nii-san, I'm alright."

This seemed to calm Akio slightly. His shadowed dropped Kakuzu's severed hand then returned to its usual form. The raven haired child then sent Kakuzu a death glare then walked from the room with his little sister trailing behind him.

"What's that kid's problem…" remarked the masked ninja as his black threads reattached his severed wrist.

----------------------------

**{Don't worry I'll explain Hana and Akio's past in a few chapters (but you're free to guess if you want to). As promised here is the brownie point score board so far(sorry if my scoring system makes no sense):**

**Usagi323: 14 points**

**Flame Jnr: 6 points**

**Fallen-fire-demon: 4 points**

'**Nightengale'Serenade'93: 3 points**

**Thanks for the reviews, favorites, and story alerts!**

**Also which prequel should I start next? Akio's or Maralui's? Someone elses? Feel free to suggest whose story I should explain/start their story.}**


	18. The Kitchen Disaster

**{*gasp*…Finally…*wheeze*...Done with homework…*cough* This chapter was inspired by the lemonade disaster that happened at my house on Sunday. (Brief version: Lemonade + Ice + Blender = Flood) Rant: I do not own: Naruto, storms, or cooking disasters (just the ones I'm at fault for). I do own my list of characters on my page.}**

**-----------------Shortly after the second argument------------------**

_**CRASH!**_

Konan looked up the origami crane she was folding at the open window of her room. The torrents of rain which had been falling steadily since morning had now slowed to an inaudible drizzle and a few lonely rays of sunlight filtered through the gloomy grey clouds. Whatever had made that earsplitting crash sounded as if it had come from the first floor and not the storm outside. Slowly the former rain ninja stood and silently crept out her door, down the long second floor hallway, and finally down the spiraling stairs to the first floor.

The sound of pots and pans colliding the tiled floor of the kitchen was now louder and companied by the hushed discussion of several shinobi.

"Stop dropping all the damn saucepans Yumiko! We don't need those anyway!"

"Sorry Taree-chan, but I can't find a cupcake pan!"

"-Please stop fighting!-"

"-Don't worry Hana we can use these instead."

"-We're all out of eggs!"

The origami kunoichi raised an eyebrow as she entered the kitchen and surveyed the mess. In the far corner of the room Yumiko was hurriedly trying to pick up half a dozen saucepans while Taree and Akio hunted through the cupboards for a cupcake pan. To their left Hana and Indigo, completely covered in all-purpose white flour, had paused from mixing ingredients and were now arguing with Kenjii, who was waving an empty egg carton in their faces.

"We're all out of eggs and you can't make cupcakes without eggs!" shouted the ginger haired nine year old.

"We could use mayonnaise instead; that's mostly just whipped eggs and vegetable oil anyway", remarked the pale jashinist.

Kenjii retorted, "-But the only mayonnaise we have says it's mustard flavored! And who ever heard of mustard flavored cupcakes?!"

"Hey I like mustard!" angry replied the raven-haired pyromaniac.

Meanwhile at the ruined kitchen table, which was now thoroughly coded in a sticky mixture and resembling a giant uncooked pancake, Maralui sat mixing sugar into a cupcake batter as she asked her assistant Tobi to get more of the sweet white powder.

"-But Maralui-chan we only have salt left! That'll work right?-"

In front of the oven Kalori spooned cupcake batter into large ceramic mugs then carefully placed them in the oven which was already very crammed with many batter-filled cups of every size and shape. And at the center of the disaster zone sat Taru thumbing through a cookbook for a frosting recipe.

Konan's clear voice seemed to pierce the noisy confusion of the kitchen.

"What is going on here?"

For a moment the room was silent as Yumiko explained calmly, "We're making apology cupcakes."

The elder Akatsuki raised an eyebrow.

"You'll see when they're finished."

And with that the chaos resumed where it had left off. Konan gave a shrug before bending between children as she reached the scene of scattered pots and pans.

"How many cupcakes **are** you making?" asked the perplexed kunoichi.

Yumiko, Akio, and Taree muttered in unison, "Forty."

"Forty?!"

"Yes, two cupcakes for each person", explained the bluenette.

"You can never have too many cupcakes", remarked the ivy haired ninja as if this were completely obvious.

The elder Akatsuki exhaled heavily. This little adventure was already past the point of no return, she should probably just assist the children (and Tobi).

"So what can I do?"

Taree pondered this for a moment before answering.

"You can help Taru look for a damn frosting recipe; we can finish the rest of the cupcakes by ourselves."

Konan gave nod then elbowed between the pots and pans over to the quiet musician.

The dark haired twelve year old silently over several different frosting recipes contemplating which would be the tastiest, yet least difficult to compose.

As the blue haired kunoichi looked over the small black type of the aging cookbook, two sudden realizations caught her.

One, Indigo was no longer in his rain induced hypnotic state and two, she couldn't recall Taru saying more than one or two sentences since time the children had arrived at the base.

As if answering her first question, the quiet composer pointed to the blinds which now hid all evidence of the soundless rain before returning to the cookbook.

_Why is he so quiet? _Wondered Konan as she skimmed a recipe.

----------------------------------

**{Yays! I updated early! Some reviewers say they would like me to start on Luna's past, so the next chapter will most likely be slightly (or a lot) Luna centered. Also:**

**Here's Akio's picture: **http:// sarcastic-tofu. /art/Akio-Koizumi-121664133

**And here's Maralui's picture: **http:// sarcastic-tofu. /art/Maralui-Hikawa-122324138

**(Remove the blanks first!)The others should be up really soon!}**


	19. Zombie Cupcakes

**{Why are they called apology cupcakes? You shall find out! Rant: I do not own: Naruto, storms, or cooking disasters (just the ones I'm at fault for). I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot and apology cupcakes (because I made them up!)}**

**-----------------------------------**

While the apology cupcakes baked, Tobi and Konan attempted to unglue the giant splatters of cupcake batter from the walls, ceiling, table, and the nine children.

"I told you we shouldn't have added so much flour 'ey", remarked Kenjii as he tried to scrape the sticky mixture from the underside of the now thoroughly destroyed white table.

"I could just burn it off…" said Indigo wistfully.

"NO!" screamed the others in unison.

"Kill joys."

"Unlike you we are just not pyromaniacs."

"Maralui that was uncalled for!"

"-But it's accurate..."

Konan shot the scarlet haired six year old a glare before returning to unclogging the batter from the sink.

Maralui shot an equally lethal look at the kunoichi then joined the group of children were now gathered around Taru and voting on which frosting recipe to use.

"How about Ganache?" asked Hana as she peered over the quiet musician's shoulder, "It says the only ingredients are chocolate and cream and it would be very good for the messages."

But before anyone could comment on this a shouting match began between Taree, who had her work cut out for preventing anymore of the older Akatsuki member from finding out about the cupcakes or the gigantic mess they had made, and Hidan who was now trying to barge his way into the cramped kitchen.

"Get the fuck out of my way bitch!"

"For the last time, you have to wait for a damn cupcake just like everyone else bastard!"

"Taree, stop encouraging him", interrupted Kalori in blank tone.

The ivy haired ten year old scowled.

"You take the fun out of everything Hyuga."

"-And you add blasphemy to it. Things even out."

-----------------Thirty-four and a half minutes of impatient waiting later-----------------

_**BEEEEP! BEEEEP!**_

"'Ey the cupcakes are done!" called Kenjii happily as the nine children crowded around the oven only pausing to impatiently jostle and shove their way towards the warm pastries.

"Wow, we didn't even burn them this time", whispered Yumiko in awe.

"Someone get the frosting so we can decorate them."

Hidan, who after much debating and voting (six to four in his favor) had been allowed to partake in cupcake making, raised an eye brow, "Shouldn't you get them out of the fucking oven first?"

Eight of the nine children promptly gave him a classic 'do-you-honestly-take-us-for-complete-idiots' look with the exception of Kalori who simply said so in her usual blank monotone.

"Tobi has the frosting!" interrupted the orange masked ninja as he wove in between the small crowd to the now open oven.

So as Taru and Akio vigilantly removed the ceramic cupcake-filled mugs from the warm oven Hana explained to her sensei, Tobi and Konan the rules of decorating apology cupcakes.

"You can draw or write anything on a cupcake as long as it is in someway apologetic or remorseful," elucidated the seven year old jashinist.

The elder Akatsukis were still puzzled by this explanation.

"I'll show you."

First, the pale blonde child smiled cheerfully then, carefully using a spoon, removed a cupcake from one of the two clay mugs labeled with '_Kisame's cupcakes'_ in purple sharpie on white tape around the handles. Next she scraped a splotch of frosting from one of the many bowls awkwardly placed on the edge of a counter and deposited the sweet substance into a clear plastic bag. The seven year old then snipped a bottom corner of the bag at an angle and began to write on the large cupcake in thin chocolate kanji,

'_I'm sorry Taree murdered one of your goldfish yesterday. She was in a __**very **__bad mood and sort-of regrets her actions (but most likely not).'_

"There now you try!" proclaimed the small jashinist as she handed each of the three Akatsukis cupcake filled mugs and helped Yumiko pass out cupcakes to the other children.

Within minutes the kitchen was filled with the contented decorating of sarcastic cupcakes.

-------------------------------------

"What's that smell?" remarked Deidara warily as he looked up from a partially finished clay sculpture. Sasori sniffed the air, it smelled slightly of fresh pastry.

"The delinquents must be poisoning our provisions as we speak", decided the master puppeteer.

"Maybe we should check on them un, just to make sure they aren't burning down the base?"

"Hn."

---------------------------------------

As Sasori, Itachi, Kisame, Kakuzu and Zetsu quietly crept after the blond terrorist through the now nearly silent Akatsuki base they couldn't help but wonder how they had gotten roped into this.

"Shh!" hissed Deidara to the others, as they nearly crashed into each other and the doorframe just barely staying unnoticed.

The six Akatsukis breathed silent sighs of relief.

For about a minute and a half…

"What are you doing?" asked the Hyuga in an impassive voice.

_Shit_…

The group remained silent.

"I know you're there. I can hear heart beats."

"_And that doesn't sound even slightly disturbing_", whispered the blue sword wielder sarcastically, causing Deidara to clasp the back of his hand against his mouth to prevent an explosion of laughter.

The blind child gave a slightly annoyed breath then led her superiors into the kitchen.

-----------------------------------

The elder Akatsukis stared wide eyed around the room.

On every flat surface sat cupcakes of every size, color, and flavor with sarcastic messages written on them ranging from,

'_I'm sorry this cupcake is a bit over cooked (actually A LOT overcooked)' _to

'_I'm sorry you're such a bastard Kakuzu'_ (Two guess as to who wrote that one).

At this moment the raven haired musician silently handed the older members a cupcake before returning to his seat on the tiled floor.

The six skimmed over each other's cupcake messages before bursting out into loud snickering. For upon Itachi's pale red cupcake in tilted chocolate kanji read

'_I'm sorry if your relatives come back to life as zombies_ _and seek revenge (Kenjii can't wait to get it on film!)'_

-----------------------------------

**{Sorry I couldn't fit Luna's part into this chapter. It's so long that I'm making it a whole chapter (which should be up by Saturday or Sunday). Please review! If you don't know what to write about in a review consider the following:**

"**What is your opinion of apology cupcakes?"**

"**What do ****you**** want to happen in the next chapter?"**

"**If I were to tell you that the first chapter of Taru's prequel is in the works what would you say? (because it is and that's why this chapter was so late, that and final exams are next week..)"**

**And finally…**

"**How awesome would a film about Uchiha zombies be?"}**


	20. Caves of Mind

**{In response to a very good question: The miracle of how they managed to fit all of those sarcastic apologies on one itty-bitty cupcake: fit as much as you can on the top then write the remainder of your message on the sides (the cupcakes were made in large coffee cups so there is definitely enough room for words on the very tall sides!)**

***ponders* someone really ought to write a story about Uchiha zombies...it would be very epic...Rant: I do not own: Naruto, tragic pasts (just the ones I wrote), or the land of snow (just my version of it). I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot and apology cupcakes (because I made them up!)}**

**-----------------------------------**

Konan glanced about in the flickering candle light of the third floor as she attempted not to drop the two giant apology cupcakes which had been vigilantly labeled '_for Luna-sama_' by Yumiko. Each of the cupcakes were a light brown color beneath the chocolate kanji and smelled faintly of cinnamon and upon the tops and sides of the cupcakes were written

'_I'm sorry leader-sama was so cranky, maybe he didn't have his coffee yet…_' and

'_I'm sorry Tobi is such a fucking idiot_'.

The origami kunoichi mused as to whether it was Taree or Hidan who had written the second message.

She now stopped before a door which a small metal plate declared '_Hana and Luna's room_' and knocked lightly on the door.

"Luna we made apology cupcakes!"

No answer came from beyond the dark wood door.

Konan knocked a few more times before opening the door slightly ajar.

With a loud _**Boom!**_ She was sucked into the room to whatever lurked within.

-------------------------------------

Konan blinked a few times as she steadied her stance. Her surroundings were no longer the darkened halls of the Akatsuki base, but a village completely enclosed by ice and snow and pointed snow capped mountain peaks in the distance. The buildings were composed of metal which had been weathered and eroded by the winter environment yet still remained a slightly cylindrical shape. The only wood structure within the deserted village was a sign reading in sharp kanji '_Yukigakure_' which blew slightly back and forth in the snowstorm. A chilling breeze picked up and whipped through the structures causing the low cold sound of several bells clanging in the winter wind. Voices echoed in the empty town, but the kunoichi saw no one. The only sign of life was the glowing red seal that hovered in the sky as if unbound by gravity.

_It's the 'Cave of the mind jutsu'_, thought Konan to herself, the jutsu that created a genjutsu like copy of the inner workings of a person's mind.

The bluenette glanced about before sighting a hard covered book nearly invisible amongst the powdery white snow. She carefully repositioned the cupcakes in her left hand before taking a few steps forward to pick up the book.

But as soon as her fingers touched the edge of the book's white hard cover she was bombarded by thousands of mental images.

…_A white haired child sat among the council of Yukigakure elders silently writing something down on a piece of paper as a general explained something…_

…_The same red eyed child standing in the center of the icy village which now had the appearance of a large scale battlefield as fifteen Anbu black ops operatives surrounded her…_

_...The scream of the Yukikage as he was stabbed through the heart and fell to the cold ground, dead... _

These were just a few of the surreal images that crashed over Konan like a tidal wave of thought.

_They're her memories_, the bluenette thought as another wave of pain slammed into her like an invisible wall and everything went dark.

--------------------------------

The blue haired kunoichi tried to refocus her vision as she took in her surroundings. She was back in the candle lit third floor hallway lightly propped against a wall. Next to her Luna sat nibbling on one of the apology cupcakes.

"In the future it would be best if you stayed out of my mind for your personal safety," remarked the white haired child in quiet blank voice.

Konan gave a slight nod as the girl with blood red eyes handed her one of the cinnamon cupcakes

_There is something Luna is hiding from us_, thought the Akatsuki to herself as she took a bite of cupcake. She was surprised that they didn't taste so bad after all considering the large amounts of mustard flavored mayonnaise that had gone into them.

----------------------------------

**{YAYS! The first two chapters of Taru's prequel are up! *happy dance* So please review for sooner chapter updates!}**


	21. Scarlet

**{Rant: I do not own: Naruto, tragic pasts (just the ones I wrote), or explosions of epic proportion. I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot, the Hikawa clan and apology cupcakes (because I made them up!)**

**NOW LET'S START THE CHAPTER!**}

**-----------------------------------**

By now everyone, even Pein, was seated somewhere within the cramped kitchen and munching on an apology cupcake or discussing their personalized message with another member.

In one corner Kenjii and Yumiko sat arguing over who would have the privilege of devouring one of Kisame's ranch dressing flavored cupcakes. Meanwhile the blue skinned sword wielder stared at them as if they were insane to even **want**to be within a kilometer of the putrid smelling cupcake. Ranch dressing was good and cupcakes were good; but not in the same recipe, at least not according to Kisame.

To their left Tobi sat trying to scrape bright green frosting off of his mask without removing it while Hana feudally tried to help. From the crowded table Deidara snickered. Tobi's vortex-like mask made for a perfect bulls-eye.

But what had consumed the most attention was the spectacle commencing at the chipped white kitchen table where Kakuzu had flatly refused to eat his second cupcake. Not that anyone could blame him, the evil looking confection was a rotten shade of murky purple with the joyous message, '_I'm really sorry this is prune flavored._'

"Just pitch the damn thing Kakuzu, it looks like its fucking poisoned!" exclaimed Taree as the ivy haired ten year old tried to yank the putrid pastry from the missing-nin's tight grasp.

Kakuzu replied hostilely, "That would be a waste of previsions; you should have remembered that when you made these edible horrors."

Maralui interrupted the arguing ninja, "If I make use of the cupcake may I receive it?"

Both glared at the scarlet haired child, but reluctantly handed her the evil-looking confection.

The six year old gave them a quick nod of thanks then placed the murky purple pastry on the table top in front of her and began to stare at it intently.

Kenjii looked up from the corner with a raised eyebrow as he observed the scenario then realized what was about to happen.

He rapidly dropped to the floor and crouched under the table while shouting at the top of his lungs, "Duck and cover! This is not a drill, 'ey; I repeat this is not a drill!"

The other children quickly took heed and crowded under the table as Kalori began to count down.

"Ten…nine…eight…-"

The elder Akatsukis were now gazing at Maralui trying to hypothesize what was about to happen.

"-Six…five…-"

Her black pupils seemed to widen and an odd peacefully smile appeared on her young face.

"-Three…two…-"

Now Zetsu and Itachi, who were seated nearest to the scarlet haired child could see her hands begin to atomize.

"-One…-"

"_Zero_", whispered Maralui.

For a second everything was completely silent.

Then the detonation occurred.

The disgusting prune flavored cupcake exploded with the intensity of an atomic bomb hurling large chunks of the charred table top at the walls and ceiling. The Akatsukis still seated at the table were thrown from the chairs into the walls as if hit by an invisible wall of air. The air was filled with a thin grey smoke as the blast ended.

Everyone slowly looked up from the wreckage at the destruction had wrecked in the kitchen.

There were very large black pieces of the table now sticking out of the walls like unhammered nails and several cabinets looked beyond repair, but most obvious was the formerly white wooden table.

Nearly the entire top of the wooden piece of furniture had been removed leaving behind only jagged blackened timber. Where the cupcake had been was now a vast smoking crater that almost went through the table complete with glowing embers of what was now firewood.

Tobi mumbled shakily, "S-She k-k-killed the t-table!"

"-**And the rest of the kitchen**", hissed Kakuzu seething with rage.

The scarlet haired six year old gave a satisfied smirk as she collapsed onto what was left of the burned table top.

Yumiko hastily stood up and took her comrade's pulse.

"Maralui-chan you lied about your blood counts to me didn't you?!" she shouted in unrepressed rage, which was completely uncharacteristic of the pale azure haired child.

Without moving the former Sunagakure ninja replied quietly, "I'll resolve the predicament."

Her form then became pixilated before completely dissolving into the air.

"What happened?" murmured Kisame in a low voice as he and the other Akatsukis and children got up from the rubble.

"Do you mean to the cupcake or to Maralui?" inquired Indigo.

"Both."

Indigo gave an annoyed sigh as he began the explanation.

"Maralui's kekkei genkai allows her to take apart, reassemble or alter an object's atomic structure including her own cells. What she just did to that cupcake was the complete disassembly of all of its atoms at once, but there is a consequence.-"

Deidara interrupted, "Like what, un?"

"Circulatory damage", clarified the dark haired pyromaniac. "By taking apart her own cells so frequently, Maralui puts enormous pressure on her blood flow network."

"Huh?" questioned Hidan.

This time it was Yumiko who answered.

"Her abilities cause internal bleeding", she whispered angrily, "She needs frequent blood transfusions or she'll bleed to death. The quandary is that none of the hospitals in Sunagakure or any of its allied nations will treat her."

Tobi interjected, "Why not?"

The nine children went silent except for Luna's blank voice.

"Sasori no Danna knows."

But before any of the elder Akatsukis could ask anymore questions the children had already left in a flurry of yells.

"Come on! We better go find her before she kills someone!"

"Where'd you put the shovel Kalori?!"

"It's not important; the soil here is too wet to bury corpses anyway."

----------------------------------------

**{A Maralui centered chapter is coming up! **

***randomly happy dances that school is out***

**If you are unsure what to write about in a review, consider the following:**

'**What do you think Sasori knows about Maralui's clan?'**

'**How would a prune flavored cupcake taste?'**

'**Did any of the Akatsuki have a video camera present at the gigantic explosion?'**

'**If you had to compare Maralui to another character from 'Naruto' who would it be?**

**Notes:** **Here's a quickish recap of the children for Mirror Kunoichi** **and anyone else who's slightly confused (plus a few spoilers). (Their physical descriptions and other info are in chapter two and pictures are posted on my deviantART account [links on my page!])**

**Indigo Akiyama: **[9 years old] - A pyromaniac who is the sole survivor and one responsible for the annihilation of his clan (due to his kekkei genkai, the Hiyurigan activating). The other Akatsukis frequently call him 'Pyro' for his love of arson.

**Kenjii Fukui: **[10 years old] - Seen as a disappointment by his clan and Kumogakure, Kenjii has unique chakra properties which allows him to channel his chakra into natural disasters and forms of destruction. Kisame dislikes him due to his insistent chatter and short attention span. His hobbies are graffiti and pulling pranks on high ranking government officials.

**Hana Koizumi: **[7 years old] - A jashinist, Hana has extremely low stamina due to her kekkei genkai, light release. This has caused her older brother, Akio, to become especially overprotective of her. Her hobbies include water color painting and praying.

**Akio Koizumi: **[8 years old] - Like his sister Akio is also a dedicated jashinist and is a master of their clan's kekkei genkai. However, unlike Hana, Akio controls shadows instead of light causing him to earn the nicknames 'Akio of Shadows' and 'The Shadow'. He is far more serious than his sibling and enjoys prayer and reading horror novels.

**Kalori Hyuga: **[10 years old] - Although her talent with kunai and shuriken knives is unmatched, due to her blindness and mutation in her Byakugan, Kalori is seen as a great failure to her clan. She is often quite sarcastic.

**Maralui Hikawa: **[6 years old] – Maralui is the only survivor of her clan's massacre at the hands of the *bleeps out spoiler* and is known throughout Sunagakure as 'the prodigy of murder' due to *bleeps out spoiler*. Many of the elder Akatsuki members say her emotionless attitude is 'utterly creepy'. She enjoys playing chess and practicing her clan's unorthodox ability to destroy and reassemble the atomic bonds within things.

**Yumiko Kawaguchi: **[7 years old] – A renowned medic-nin of Kirigakure, Yumiko is known for ever joyful demeanor despite her painful past. She has a natural aptitude for creating new jutsu and her explosive ice sculptures, which she believes is art. [Her past is fully explained in '**Permafrost**'!]

**Taree Hayashi: **[10 years old] – An outcast among her clan, Taree is easily identified by: her unique plant based abilities, frequent swearing, and overall bad attitude. Her hobbies include pissing people off, studying botany, and beating Hidan at trivia games. [Her past is fully explained in '**Walls of Ivy**']

**Taru Wakahisa: **[12 years old] – Taru is extreme quiet individual with a mysterious past. He is a naturally talented composer and frequently plays his guitar or any other instrument he can find. [His past is fully explained in '**Rhapsody**']

**Luna: **[7 years old] – Easily identified by her white hair, blood red eyes, and unusual empathic ability; Luna has been a listed S-class missing-nin since the age of four due to *Bleeps out MEGA spoiler*. She has a quiet blank manner and often practices her ability to move objects with her mind (a side effect of her empathic gift).

**}**


	22. A lost temper

**{Yays! Chapter twenty-two! Rant: I do not own: Naruto, tragic pasts (just the ones I wrote), or shovels. I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot, the Hikawa clan and Indigo's inability to properly bury people correctly (because I made them up!)}**

**-----------------------------------**

Deidara exhaled heavily as he strode through the dense underbrush outside the Akatsuki base, pausing only briefly to look up at the nighttime sky. Although it was a fairly cloudy night he could still see a few small stars peeking through the grey-black clouds.

He groaned.

Were this any other moment he might like to simply gaze upward for a bit, but no, he was on a mission. This time he had been the unlucky soul to draw the shortest straw and subsequently had to be the one to bring the ten children back to headquarters.

The blond terrorist began to mutter something under his breath, but stopped as he noticed the faint outlines in the distance and unmistakable shouting.

"What the fuck Indigo?! Don't you know _anything _about burying corpses!?!"

"What do you mean?"

"It doesn't exactly scream stealth when his damn head is sticking out of the fucking ground Pyro!"

"-But the soil was too full of clay fragments to dig lengthwise and below the point where the body is there are shale deposits!"

"I told you the soil would be impracticable here."

"Shut up Hyuga!"

"Taree-chan, I think you're overreacting a bit."

"-Yumiko has a point."

"-But Taree's right, 'ey, enemy shinobi are definitely going to notice."

"Fine, if everyone is so worried about it being detected we should just rebury the corpse."

"I vote we blow up."

"I second the vote."

Deidara hastily wove through the undergrowth towards the small group. Why did he have to draw the shortest straw?

Among the ten children Luna and Kalori were the first to notice the artist's arrival.

"It would seem you did find us after all Deidara", the blind Hyuga responded blankly.

"Good evening Deidara-san", replied the empath more politely in her usual monotone.

The blond terrorist gave a quick nod of recognition prior to speaking.

"What are you doing…exactly, un?"

Even in the darkness the artist could tell there were several 'are-you-honestly-kidding-me?' glares aimed directly at him like spears.

Taree replied in a sarcastic tone, "What does it **look **like we're doing dumbass?"

"Dead bodies don't exactly hide themselves you know 'ey," elaborated Kenjii as he smacked the corpses' head with a severely dented shovel in an attempt to hammer it into the badly dug grave.

Deidara raised an eyebrow, "Where did you find a corpse this close to the base?"

"Maralui-san came across a Konoha shinobi", explained Hana cheerfully, "But seeing as she killed him we need to conceal the evidence so the authorities don't discover headquarters."

"The only damn problem is that Pyro has the grave digging skills of a fucking tree stump!" Taree hissed bitterly.

"**SO-**", Yumiko interjected quickly, "We either need to blow up the body or dispose of it by some other means."

The blond artist did a mental face-palm as he replayed the explanation in his head. The _six_ year old had murdered a Konohagakure ninja, probably Chunin level. So much for little kids being innocent…

"There's only one corpse…right?" he asked slowly.

The children seemed to twiddle their fingers for a moment whilst avoiding the question.

"I said this is the only dead body, **right**?"

There was a minute of silence before Indigo responded.

"Define 'dead'."

Deidara gave an exasperated sigh.

"How many shinobi **did** you kill, un?"

"Well", drew out the pyromaniac, "It would seem that Konoha medic-nin these days like to travel in large groups…"

"**How**.** Many**."

"…Thirteen, if you count the sand ninja who showed up afterwards..."

Kenjii supportively interrupted, "But the rest are buried, 'ey! This is the last one!"

Promptly he and several others of the children began hitting the exposed head a bit a harder with their dented shovels; that is, until Taree lost her temper...

"Fuck this!" shouted the ivy haired ten year old as she swiftly threw her shovel to the ground causing the others to run in the other direction. She then proceeded to rapidly and accurately form hand signs.

"Rest in pieces asshole!" murmured the former Kusagakure nin, "Forest Possession Technique!"

"What the-", muttered the artist as Yumiko tugged him away from the grave in the nick of time.

The lofty trees that soared above the group seemed to come to life and began to smack the protruding corpse for almost ten consecutive minutes as if they were large wooden sledge hammers until there was a huge crater in the ground and the body was no longer evident.

Taree then proceeded to stomp off towards the base whilst grumbling curses under her breath. After a few moments the rest of the group began to follow silently at a safe distance with bent shovels in hand. No one bothered to mention she was going the wrong way, the ivy haired ten year old was already in a very violent mood as it was.

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**{*shudders* **

**Sorry this chapter came so very very late..**

***hides under desk***

**Please review!}**


	23. A Picture into the Past

**{Yays and Thank yous! 'Beginnings' officially has 100+ reviews! Rant: I do not own: Naruto, tragic pasts (just the ones I wrote), or night owls. I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot, the Koizumi clan and Hana's photo (because I made them up!)}**

**------------------Later-----------------**

Sasori looked up from the puppet he was working on at the glowing red numbers of Deidara's alarm clock. It was exactly eleven twenty-two PM.

From across the room the blond terrorist muttered curses under his breath and hid beneath the covers of his disorganized bed in a failed attempt to block out the lights from the puppeteer's desk. Although Sasori was a puppet and, theoretically, didn't need to sleep Deidara did and his roommate's night owl like habits were really starting to get on his nerves.

An amused look passed over the scarlet haired artist's face before turned back to his current project, reattaching the head of an elderly battle puppet Taree had beheaded earlier in her whilst in a bad mood. As Sasori reached for a vile poison to be inserted into the marionette's mouth, he heard the soft sound of quiet knocking on the door.

"Come in", he murmured without looking up from his work.

With a hushed click Hana entered the room taking great care not to step on any of the debris that littered Deidara's disorganized side of the room.

"What is your purpose for being here this late at night?" asked the puppeteer gruffly.

The fair haired Jashinist nodded apologetically before speaking, "The frame of ka-san's portrait is broken and Yumiko-san said you might possibly have some nails to fix it with."

The seven year old then produced a damaged picture from one of the pockets of her black and red pajamas. In the photograph, a family of four stood together in rain coats under a large pink umbrella as rain poured around them. At the center a small raven haired child with questioning gloomy grey eyes and a scarlet Jashinist rosary stood firmly holding the handle of the umbrella, no doubt ably Akio. To the child's left was a woman with very pale blond hair held in a loose braid and looked like an older version of Hana. She had a warm smile on her cheerful face as her gaze fell on a two year old version of Hana, who was playing with her mother's rosary. On the far side of the picture stood a tall man, but the corner where his face was had been torn off leaving Sasori to guess as to why. The nails that held the weathered wooden frame were covered in rust and had disintegrated causing the edging and tin sheet of glass over the photo to become detached.

Carefully the young Jashinist handed the fragile object to the puppet master, only to have the cherished photo slip from its damaged frame onto the floor causing the scarlet haired artist to pick up the old picture. On the back was written in light penciled kanji the names of those in the image.

_Amegakure Spring Festival:_

_Akio Koizumi {bottom center}_

_Hana Koizumi {bottom left}_

_Amaya Koizumi {upper left}_

_Kuroi Koizumi {right}_

The puppet master looked over the photograph one more time before placing it beside his marionette on his desk top as he plucked several small nails from a drawer and proceeded to expertly tap the frame back together before sliding the image and glass back in.

"Are those your parents in the snapshot?" said Sasori more as a statement than a question.

Hana nodded, "I don't remember father at all though. He left when I was very little and ka-san passed away when I was five."

"Illness?"

"Murder."

The red haired puppeteer then handed the repaired photograph back to its owner.

The seven year old thanked the missing-nin then quietly left and climbed the flight of stairs to her bedroom on the third floor leaving Sasori to wonder about the child's unexplained past.

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**{Yays! I updated on time! *happy dance* Thanks to my awesome readers for the 100+ reviews, they encourage me to write!**

**If you're not sure what to write in a review for this chapter consider the following:**

**Why do you think Hana and Akio's mother was murdered?**

**What do you think Deidara think about this?**

**And**

**Will Deidara ever fall asleep, or camp out in the hall?}**


	24. Deadly Shogi

**{I hate my evil internet provider which seems to have a vendetta against me updating my stories… In other news:**

**Rant: I do not own: Naruto, Shogi, or. I do own my list of characters on my page, the plot, and (because I made them up!)**

**Note: I just realized I have yet to describe anything about Taru appearance wise or anything about Taree, Yumiko, Kalori, Kenjii, or Taru's pasts at all…*smacks head against computer repeatedly in frustration*}**

**-----------------------------------**

"Damn it!" yelled the silver haired jashinist as he pounded a fist against the blue and white tiled floor of the kitchen. "Why do you win every god damn time!?!"

"Simple", calmly replied the ivy haired ten year old, her ever present carnation a warm shade of sunny yellow; "You fucking suck at shogi."

Kenjii and Yumiko who seated on the floor near the board game suppressed quiet snickering. Behind them even the stoic Taru, who had the despised chore of kitchen duty today, couldn't hide the tiny glimmer that showed in his mismatching pale blue and chocolate brown eyes as he prepared breakfast on the stovetop.

"And the score is Taree: six-teen, Hidan: zero!" announced Kisame from what was left of the charred kitchen table. On either sides of the blue swordsman the red headed puppet master and the youngest of the ten mysterious children both raised an eyebrow.

"Taree will never let you live this down Hidan", remarked Maralui coolly whilst she picked at her breakfast of particularly gluey oatmeal.

The silver haired missing-nin shot the scarlet haired six year old a stony glare before turning back to his opponent.

"Where the fuck did you even learn how to play this damn game anyway?!" he swore loudly.

There was a momentary pause as the former grass-nin reset the wooden pieces on the Shogi game board and the game began again.

"I used to play Shogi with the kids in detention whilst skipping those fucking 'kunoichi infiltration' classes", she replied in a bitter tone.

Hidan raised an eyebrow. "You'd rather be in detention than some stupid class?"

Taree gave a nod as she moved one of her game pieces, "If those could even be called 'classes', they were a total load of bullshit. Knowing what flowers look nice together doesn't mean a fucking thing when there's a knife at your throat."

But just as Yumiko tried to interrupt a tired Indigo flopped into the room, tripping over said seven year old bluenette in the process and face planting hard on the tile floor.

As if for an explanation the pyromaniac muttered sleepily, "Kalori's in a bad mood."

The other four children sighed.

"'Ey what'd you do this time Pyro?" asked Kenjii without looking up from the shogi board.

The raven haired arsonist gave a shrug as he picked himself up from the floor. "I don't know, I don't _remember_ doing anything of particular peril in the last eight hours."

"You disturbed the sacred alter of the coffee machine didn't you."

"…maybe…"

"…."

"…possibly…"

"…"

"…But I only needed to use the allocation modem for the delayed release mechanism in the grenade I was making! The rest is okay!"

"You made the coffee machine into a bomb."

"…Yes…"

"She's gonna kill you 'ey."

Before Indigo could reply a slight sound of creaking wood was heard the blind Hyuga descended the stair case in a particularly foul mood. The color flushed from the former Konoha-nin and a look of impending doom slowly spread over his features.

"Hide me!" he shouted as he quickly leapt over the shogi game, causing said game pieces to fly haphazardly to the four corners of the kitchen, and ducked under the shell of the kitchen table.

Taree and Hidan let out a stream of very…colorful...curse words, many of which the other Akatsukis had never heard of nor could comprehend in the slightest.

Kenjii, Yumiko, and Maralui hastily dropped to the floor and began hunting for the small wooden pieces.

It was at this moment that Kalori entered the room closely followed by several other Akatsukis.

…And slipped on a Shogi piece subsequently crashing into one very pissed off jashinist.

Then all hell broke loose.

"What the fucking bloody hell?! Get the fuck off of me you blind-as-a-bat little brat!"

The dark haired Hyuga narrowed her sightless pale eyes as the two shakily stood up.

"Care to repeat that sentiment", replied the ten year old icily.

"Blind-as-a-bat little brat-"

That did it.

Without so much as a single sound the sharpened blade of a kunai knife pierced Hidan's throat literally nailing him to the wall behind him.

The silver haired Akatsuki's eyes widened with surprise as he tried to speak, but found he couldn't for the 'blind-little-bat' had pierced his voice box. He hadn't so much as seen her draw her weapon or even a tiny glint of steel in mid air as the blade streaked towards its target with deadly accuracy.

A deathly silence enveloped the kitchen as the sightless ninja spoke in the same cold tone as she did just moments before.

"Did you not expect a 'blind little bat' to not hit its target Hidan-_san_? If so you have seriously underestimated my abilities which is a _**very**__ discriminatory mistake_"

The only sound in the small room was the faint tremor of the table as the raven haired arsonist involuntarily twitched.

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**{*busy cursing internet provider* Please review for the sake of the severely injured Hidan who is at this time unable to review or swear.}**


	25. UPDATE

**UPDATES on Each Story's Status****- This will be blanket posted on all of the stories mentioned before they are deleted/rewritten/Hiatus'd.**

Right now I'm busy going through all of my stories to see what could/should be continued/rewritten, or scrapped. If there is a story you would like me to continue please review or message me about it. Without feedback I don't know if anyone actually reads or likes my stories.

Nireiki, or as I plan to rename it, Half-Life is staying, but is being rewritten. I feel like I left a lot of missed opertunities to expand Madara and Naruto as well as the story arcs. Before I begin posting the rewrite though, I plan to fully map out several of the plot arcs and make sketchs for the middle and end. (Usually I write by the seat of my pants so this may take a while...)

So far, I plan to put Beginnings on a permanent hiatus. I haven't touched it in years and have found irresolvable problems with it during re-reading. It has a very weak plot (if any), suffers from OC overload, and has an abundence of OOCness in the few canon characters in it. Considering how horrible it is, I'm really surprised that I keep getting favorites, alerts, and reviews for it.

Walls of Ivy is also slated for a permanent hiatus; however, my reasoning behind this is a bit different. While it also suffers from an abundance of OCs, the plot is salvageable and parts of it are being reworked into the Nireiki/Half-Life rewrite. Despite its flaws I really like the wartime setting and want to write more from Taree's perspective.

Rhapsody is also going to reworked into Nireiki/Half-Life. This is mainly due to the murder/mystery and horror elements that I had planned for the its main arc, but never got around to writing. Some problems I had with this were the overly slow plot development and abundance of OCs too early in the story. Taru's character seems kind of bland and could be better expanded in a different context.

Unlike its predecessor Permafrost, I plan to keep Frozen. I do plan to shift from my original plotline though. Since I only ever posted the first chapter of Frozen, it can easily be rewritten without needing to be reposted. I really like how the first chapter came out and don't plan to rewrite it. It may be a while before I start updates on this though, due to the massive restructuring of the plot and Kishimoto unveiling Kabuto's screwed up past.

In other news I've had a oneshot in the works for a few months featuring Tobi and Sakura. It's fairly close to canon and is firmly in the horror category. It will probably be posted within a month or two. It's tentatively titled "Descendant."


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